Scoutix Club
by RosellaStarr
Summary: A new year has begun at Alfea, meaning a new team of fairies to rise against the latest of evils. The Scoutix Club must join together to face their nightmares. With the guidance of the Winx, they must find a way to put a stop to this evil. Can they face their fears and come together as a true team?
1. Start of the School Year

**OC Characters: Season 1**

 **Rosella:** Fairy of Unicorns

 **Catarina:** Fairy of Aura

 **Carmen:** Fairy of Volcanoes

 **Rachel:** Fairy of Gemstones

 **Alex:** Wields the Frost Bow of Aurora

 **Rexx:** Wields the Inferno Chakram of Zevia

 **Gale:** Wields the Wind Tonfa of Marella

 **Colton:** Wields the Light Javelin of Revia

 **Zane:** Wields the Thunder Whip of Tempesta

 **Rave:** Wields the Twin Shadow Sais of Aurora

 **Splendora:** Witch of Nightmares

 **Echo:** Witch of Sound Waves

Another year has started at Alfea and there are many new fairies wanting to earn their wings. Students began to fill the courtyard and socialize with each other before they have to find their dorms. One girl stood at the entrance and looked around at the new faces she would get to meet. Rosella, the princess of Revia, seemed to be a little uncomfortable as she made her way to the front of the crowd. Sighing, she sat down on her suitcase and awaited further instructions. Rosella was a long way from home and didn't know anyone around her. Something really bad was about to happen and she could feel it all around her. It was about then that miss Faragonda walked out of the building and smiled.

"Welcome ladies to a new year at Alfea, school for fairies." Faragonda said looking around at all the new students. "Many adventures await as you learn new spells and earn different types of wings. For some of you, new dangers await but you will have nothing to fear as long as you work together. Classes will begin tomorrow morning at 8 so enjoy the rest of the night and get settled into your dorms. Just look for your name posted outside each dorm."

Rosella walked down the hallway of dorms and scanned each one for her name. She was not used to sharing a room with anyone so things would take some getting used to. Near the end of the hallway, she came to a stop and sat down on her suitcase once more to catch her breath. 'Finding one's name can quite tiring when walking down a hallway like this.' Sighing she stood up and glanced at the next door, happy to find her name. "So this is where I will be staying. I wonder what the other girls will be like."

Walking inside, she looked around and noticed that she was the first one to arrive. Without hesitation, she picked out her room and sat on the edge of the bed. 'Everyone around here seems so happy. They have no idea just how much danger they are truly in. Perhaps I shouldn't be here at all.'


	2. Attack on Magix

Rosella remained sitting on the bed until she heard a few voices. 'These voices are probably my new roommates.'

Sighing, she stood up and walked out of her room in order to meet the other girls. One of the girls was wearing a bright red, short sleeve shirt and black jeans. Rosella looked her up and down before resting on the girls' red stilettos. It was then that she realized what she was doing and turned her attention to the girls' bright orange hair.

"You must be new here." The orange haired girl said before stepping forward. "My name's Carmen. May I ask what yours is?"

Rosella snapped out of her daze and smiled a little before responding, "I'm Rosella. It's nice to meet you Carmen."

"Rosella, I like that name." Carmen said giggling a little. "Allow me to introduce you to my friends."

"That would be nice." Rosella said. "I'm not really used to being around so many people I don't even know."

Carmen smiled and pointed at a girl with blue-violet hair. "This is Rachel, fairy of gemstones."

Rachel turned towards Rosella and smiled a little. "Nice to meet you Rosella. I'm from Aquatica and Carmen here is from Zevia. She is the fairy of volcanoes."

Rosella nodded before speaking, "I'm the fairy of unicorns from Revia."

A few minutes passed before a girl with multi-colored hair walked in. "Hello everyone. My name is Catarina." Catarina said smiling and looking around. "I'm from Mystea and I'm also the fairy of Aura."

'So far everyone here is really nice.' Rosella thought. 'I should really tell them about the danger but it can wait. I wouldn't want to frighten them on the first day.'

"How about we go get something to eat." Carmen said. "I'm sure the other girls will arrive by the time we get back."

"That would be amazing." Catarina replied with a smile. "I was feeling a little hungry."

Rachel put her stuff in her room along with the other girls and stretched. "That would be nice. We do have some free time before classes start tomorrow. I can't wait."  
Rosella only nodded before they made their way to the bus heading for Magix. For Rosella, the trip was spent staring out the window at the darkness. She was hoping that everything would be alright but something was telling her that they were in danger. When they got off the bus, she relaxed a bit and followed the girls into a nearby cafe. After eating they walked around the city and took in the sights.

"The city is really amazing." Rachel said.

"I for one can't wait until we meet the guys from Red Fountain." Carmen said smiling and spinning around on her heel.

"What is Red Fountain?" Rosella asked a little confused.

"Red Fountain is a school for all the specialists." Catarina replied. "The guys there are really cute."

"Cute? The guys there are hot." Carmen said before getting lost in her own little world.

"You've never been here Rosella." Rachel said. "It's like this. There are three different schools that are located around Magix City. You have Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower. Cloud Tower is a school for witches so you have to be really careful. Don't worry, not all the witches there are bad but some enjoy causing trouble."

The girls laughed a little and continued walking down the sidewalk. After a while, Rosella found herself lost in thought. She scanned the area real quick, making sure there was nothing wrong. Even with the other girls, she still felt unsafe and hoped that her suspicions were wrong.

"Is something wrong Rosella?" Catarina asked.

Rosella was about to respond when she heard a loud explosion and laughter echoing through the city. She moved back behind the others and quickly scanned the area. It soon became clear that everything was not fine and Rosella's suspicions were right.

"What was that?" Carmen asked looking around.

'Oh no.' Rosella thought. 'It's happening again. That woman must be back.'


	3. Witch of Nightmares

The four girls quickly made their way towards the explosion and stopped in front of a broken down warehouse. Rosella continued to scan the area for any trace of the one that caused the damage but to no avail. Malicious laughter filled the air once more as a ghostly silhouette appeared in front of them. No one could make out exactly who the witch was, although Rosella seemed to have some idea of who it was.

"It has been a long time since I last saw you princess."

"So you're the one behind this destruction." Rachel said.

Laughter filled the air as the figure came into view and stared at Rosella. The witch then looked turned her attention to the others and smirked. She took this as an opportunity to test out her dark magic.

"You must be the smart one. I am Splendora."

"We will not allow you to get away with this." Catarina said glaring at Splendora.

"Let's transform girls." Carmen responded.

"I can't." Rosella said as she dropped to her knees. 'I knew it. I always knew that she would return. We have to get out of here before things get worse.'

"Magic charmix!" The others called out and quickly transformed.

"Catarina, fairy of aura."

"Rachel, fairy of gemstones."

"Carmen, fairy of volcanoes."

"You honestly believe that you three have the power to defeat me." Splendora said laughing. "You have no idea who you are messing with. Let's find out what frightens you the most."

"Girls. We have to get out of here now. It's too dangerous." Rosella said frightened.

"We can't just stand by and do nothing Rosella." Rachel replied.

"You should listen to her fairy." Splendora said as a crimson rain poured down on Rachel and Catarina.

"What's happening?" Catarina asked as she backed up in terror. "No. I defeated you. It can't be." She then dropped to her knees and closed her eyes. "It's not possible. Leave me alone."

Soon Rachel began to feel the effects of the spell and hid her face in fear. No one knew why they were so terrified. Rosella tried to move but found herself frozen in place. Carmen glared at Splendora and hovered in the air.

"What did you do to them?"

"I merely brought out their worst nightmares." Splendora said as she took a step closer. "Soon they will find themselves unable to do anything and there's nothing you can do to help them. Their fear will consume them."

"You monster." Carmen replied fisting her hands. "I'll show you the power of Zevia. Lava beam." Suddenly a beam of lava swirled around Rachel and Catarina, breaking the spell.

"Aura blast!" Catarina called out as an orb of purple energy shot out at Splendora.

"Crystal bolt!" Rachel called as small crystals were fired off.

"Lava beam!" Carmen called as lava formed and mixed with the other attacks.

"Fools." Splendora said stepping out unscathed. "Your not strong enough to even scratch me. I've had enough fun for one day. Until next time fairies." She then looked at Rosella and smirked. "Next time you won't be so lucky." Laughing, she disappeared into the night.

"How could all our attacks fail?" Catarina asked as they returned to normal.

"Perhaps we should ask Rosella." Rachel said glaring a little at Rosella.

"That's enough Rachel." Carmen replied. "We should get back to Alfea where it's safe. It would be the best place for us to talk and figure out more about that witch."  
The girls nodded and took the bus back to Alfea. They walked into their dorm and set down on a nearby couch.

"Rosella." Catarina said. "Why don't you tell us what you know about this Splendora."

"We're not safe." Rosella replied. "No one is safe anymore. Splendora could return at any moment and we're all powerless to stop her. I've seen what she can do and I don't want that to happen here."


	4. Unicorn History Pt 1

The sun had gone down as the moon and stars filled the sky. For the most part it was clear night with the only sound coming from the animals. The girls stared at Rosella and awaited their explanation. Catarina sat down and placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder, hoping to comfort her. A few minutes had passed before she finally spoke up.

"First off, I would like to say that I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." Rosella said looking down a little. "I sensed the danger when I first arrived in Magix and I didn't tell anyone. I was afraid that everyone would panic. Yes, I do know who that witch was and that's why I'm afraid."

"You don't have to afraid Rosella." Carmen said smiling.

"As your friends, we will be here to help you get past that fear." Catarina replied.

Rachel grew irritated and fisted her hands a little. "Enough of this. Start talking pinkie and stop wasting our time."

Catarina shot Rachel a look saying to back off before turning her attention back to Rosella. "Start from the beginning."

Rosella nodded and sighed, "It all started back on my home planet, Revia. The people of my home were always kind to those with a pure heart. My family took care of all the kingdom's unicorns. When I first met Splendora, I was only five and had no idea just how dangerous she was." She then paused before continuing, "All I remember about that day was being surrounded by this red mist and then it was like all my fear had risen up. A few minutes after, I could see some sort of figure and then it was gone. Everything returned to normal but I was so frightened."

"That sounds terrible." Catarina said.

"Splendora uses nightmares to get what she wants." Rosella explained. "It's hard to fight when one is completely frightened."


	5. Unicorn History Pt 2

Splendora watched Alfea from an energy orb and smirked. **"That's it princess, tell them all about me. It still won't stop me from taking what I want."** She then laughed maniaclly and continued to watch.

 **Back at Alfea**

 **"You still haven't told us what this witch wants."** Rachel said annoyed.

 **"According to legend, the horns of my people held great power."** Rosella replied sighing. **"Splendora wanted to use that power for her own desires. She wasn't able to collect all the horns though. Some of the people used their combined power to create a shield in order to keep her out of the kingdom."**

They all looked at her with a saddened expression, except for Rachel. All Rachel cared about was the fact that Rosella hid something important.

 **"You knew about this danger from the very beginning."** Rachel said. **"I can't believe that you wouldn't tell anyone about this before."** With that, she turned and walked to the door.

Rosella looked down as Rachel spoke and pulled her legs up to her chest. **"I was sent here after Splendora managed to break through the shield. The thought of putting someone in danger terrified me. I'm completely terrified of that witch. Thanks to her, I can't even return home."**

Carmen glared at Rachel and gently hugged Rosella. **"Rachel. Don't say things like that. All she was trying to do was keep people from panicing. Not to mention that she wouldn't be the first to keep something like that a secret. You should be more considerate."**

Rachel sighed and walked out of the dorm and out into the courtyard. **"That girl still should have said something from the beginning. Although, I understand why she was scared. Perhaps I should apologize, but first I need to cool down."** Leaning up against the wall by the entrance, she stared up at the sky. _'Tomorrow is going to be the start of the school year. Too bad we didn't get a chance to see any of the guys.'_

 **Splendora's Hideout**

Splendora had changed views from Rosella to Rachel. She could easily sense some hostility from the fairy and smiled a little. **"This girl will be of use to me."** With that, the energy orb disappeared and the lights faded into darkness.


	6. Night Out

Rachel had been standing out in the courtyard for most of the night in deep thought. She wasn't quite sure what was going through Rosella's head or the witch, Splendora. A witch that could bring out the nightmares in people would be quite dangerous. They had witnessed only a taste of her power and Rachel feared that things would just get worse. This witch wasn't going to go away and something had to be done. Perhaps she was too hard on people, but that was really all she knew. After about another hour, she decided to make her way back the dorm. Walking in the room, she glanced at the girls and went straight for her room.

 **"Perhaps it is time that we got some rest."** Catarina said.

 **"Yea, it's been a long day."** Carmen replied as she stretched out a little.

With that, they all said their good nights and went to bed. Rosella was to share a room with Catarina, which she found to be quite relaxing. In another room was Carmen and Rachel, leaving only one empty room. They had all figured that it was reserved for some girls that had yet to arrive. That night, Rosella started having flashbacks of her home world. So many lives were lost when Splendora attacked. There were only a handful of people that had the unicorn horn. What Rosella didn't know was that once the horn was taken, there was a possibility of that person falling into a deep sleep or dying. It all depended on how weak they were at the time of their defeat. Rosella had been lucky enough to escape her realm before her horn could be taken, although she had lost a few friends. These flashbacks only caused her to toss and turn in her sleep. As a child, she had noticed a strange shadow watching her. No one else had been around and could not believe her story. To this day, she still has no idea who the mysterious figure was. The dream continued to go on until she was about to uncover it's identity. Right before she could make out who it was, she jumped up out of bed. All the noise caused Catarina to wake up and find out what was going on. After fully waking up, she took notice to Rosella and walked over to her.

 **"Are you alright Rosella?"** Catarina asked. Rosella turned her head towards Catarina and slowly began to calm down.

 **"I'll be fine Catarina. It was just a nightmare."**

 **"You don't have to tell me about it. Just know that you don't have to feel alone. Now you have friends that can help you face your fears. If you ever want to talk, all you have to do is ask."**

Rosella could only nod her head as she laid back down. She wanted to talk about her dream, but decided that it could wait for another time. Catarina climbed back in bed and within minutes, both of them were sound asleep.

The next day they awoke and made their way to class. Everything had gone smoothly, except for Carmen setting one of her books on fire. She had gotten too excited and accidentally allowed some of her lava magic to land on her book. The table she had been sitting at was singed a little, but no one had gotten hurt from it. The mess itself had been cleaned up in a matter of seconds so there wasn't too much damage. Later that afternoon, the girls decided to head for Magix for lunch. They had made their way to a small cafe and took a seat at one of the outside tables. While waiting on the food, Rosella took an interest to the sky. She had been thinking about the dream from last night and seemed to block out everything around her. Hopefully they wouldn't become a daily thing for her. The day itself was bright and sunny with very few clouds in the sky.

Rosella was wearing a purple shirt with a tank top strap on her right shoulder and a longer sleeve that on her left arm, blue jeans, silver boots reaching a little below her knees with pink heels. The outfit tied in nicely with her pink hair that reached a little below her behind with silver streaks and light pink eyes. She was actually quite happy that it was daylight so no one would know that she had a horn. The horn itself only appeared at night or when she transformed, although, she had no idea about that. It was mere luck that Catarina didn't notice it the night before since she was too preoccupied with calming Rosella down.

Catarina, herself, was wearing a blue short sleeve shirt that showed her midriff, blue mini skirt, white capris and blue flats. Her hair, that that reached the center of her back, faded from a pale purple to pale blue to pale purple with blonde tips in her bangs and green eyes that sparkled like emeralds. She was always the calmest of her roommates and knew exactly what to say when one was feeling down. They were not an official group, but it was only because they barely knew each other.

Carmen had orange hair that extended to the top of her back and powder blue eyes. She was wearing a yellow tank top that showed her midriff, red pants, and orange boots with light orange heels. She could be a hot head at times and whenever she got too excited, had a tendency to set things on fire. Aside from that, she was a very fun-loving person and try her best to help anyone in need. While awaiting the food, she had been talking with Rachel.

 **"You should really try to be a lot nicer."** Carmen said.

Rachel had all her attention focused on Carmen, trying to block out everyone else. **"I know this Carmen. It's just that, I wonder how much Rosella is actually hiding from us."**

 **"You can't expect her to tell us everything all at once. We've only known her for a short while and so far, you haven't really made a good first impression. She just needs time to gain more confidence and perhaps then she will tell us more."**

Rachel sighed and looked down a little, trying to focus on the ground. She never meant to start anything and wanted to make things right. Her shoulder length blue hair blew in the breeze, almost hiding her light purple eyes. Today's outfit included a purple short sleeve shirt that formed a ruffled skirt like bottom with blue sapphires going down the front, light purple leggings and purple high heels. Accessories included a rose quartz necklace that reached down to her chest with a white bracelet. The bracelet itself had a single spike and a blue sapphire in the center.

 **"I will try to get along with her and I promise to apologize as well."** Rachel said.

 **"Rosella."** Catarina said while placing a hand on her shoulder. **"Is there something on your mind?"**

Rosella snapped back to reality and looked over at Catarina. **"I was just thinking about last night. These nightmares could easily happen again and I'm afraid that Splendora will do the same thing here like she did to Revia. Perhaps if I had something to take my mind off of things."**

Catarina smiled as their food arrived and chuckled a little. **"I'm certain that we can find something that will help. We are friends after all and I would like to see you smile. Maybe meeting some of the Red Fountain guys will help."**

The girls began to eat and chat about how their first day of class went. Rachel couldn't help but go on and on about Carmen's little incident, which started to annoy her. Carmen had to admit that it was a tad bit hilarious and laughed along with everyone else. Rosella found it quite relaxing to be able to sit and laugh with friends. In time, they would learn more and more about each other, growing even closer. Rosella wasn't too sure about meeting any guys like Catarina suggested, but she would at least give it a try. She knew that she had to get past her shyness and meeting boys was one way to help. Once everyone was finished, they headed off to a nearby park and sat down within a gazebo. For the most part, everything was peaceful and there was no sign of any danger. A few minutes later, the girls took notice to a Red Fountain ship landing nearby. Catarina could only smile before grabbing Rosella's arm and running over to it.

 **"Hold on Catarina."** Rosella said while trying to catch her breath. **"I'm not really sure about this. What if they don't like me? Or what if I embarrass myself?"**

Catarina laughed a little and placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder. **"There's no reason why they wouldn't like you. I am going to help you get rid of your shyness and this is the first step. It's not the end of the world if things go wrong. And besides, I'll be right here beside you."**

Rosella began to calm down and smiled as the other girls walked up beside them. **"I wonder who we will meet. And you're right Catarina. I shouldn't be so afraid of everything, but I can't help but be cautious."**

 **"It's only natural to be cautious around boys."** Rachel said while standing beside Rosella. **"And Rosella, I'm sorry for last night. I didn't mean to get angry with you."**

Rosella could only smile at Rachel before saying anything, **"It's alright Rachel, I forgive you. I wasn't trying to make anyone upset at all. Now, let's find out who we are dealing with."**

At that moment, the ship's door opened up and out walked three guys. The first had short orange hair that almost reached to the end of his neck with bangs hanging part way over his light blue eyes. He wore a red shirt with short orange sleeves and a yellow outline, faded red-orange capris, and black boots with a red outline.

The second to walk out was a slightly older looking male with powder blue hair reaching the center of his back that faded into a darker blue and baby blue eyes. One strip of his hair was attached to a powder blue bead that hung over his shoulder. He was wearing the standard uniform with light blue boots and a sky blue clasp attached to a blue cape. The girls, along with the first male, all wondered why he was wearing the school uniform instead of casual clothes.

A few minutes passed before the third male walked out and appeared to be a little shy. He had short blonde hair that reached just below the ears and blue eyes. A section of his bangs seemed to be a little thicker than the rest and stuck out a little further. The boy seemed to be the youngest of the three males and a surfer by the look of his outfit and tan skin. He wore a sleeveless black diving top, light blue pants with a wave like pattern, and black sneakers with blue laces.

Once all the males were out, they gave the girls a smile and stood in front of them. The orange-haired one was the first to speak up and seemed to be in a cheerful mood. " **Well this wasn't exactly what I expecting."** He chuckled a little and glanced over at Carmen. Before long, he made his way over to her and took her hand. **"The color of your hair shows just how much you shine. You can call me Rexx and I would love the honor of being your date for the evening."**

Carmen blushed a little as Rexx took her hand and couldn't help but chuckle at his next words. **"Well, aren't you the charmer. My name is Carmen. I can sense a fire within you. Let me guess, you are from Zevia."** At the mention of Rexx being her date, she started to blush a even deeper red.

Rexx smiled and released Carmen's hand. **"You can tell where I'm from just from a single touch. That's a pretty neat trick if you ask me."**

 **"It's not that at all."** Carmen said. **"I'm from Zevia as well so I can tell if others are from there as well. Don't tell me that you forgot all about me. We were childhood friends after all."**

Rexx was a little embarrassed that he didn't recognize his friend and rubbed the back of his head. **"Sorry about that Carmen. You look so different from when I last saw you."**

Catarina and Rosella chuckled to themselves and turned their attention to the other guys. They had already learned the name of one guy and it was time to meet the other two. Rachel sighed at Carmen's reaction to Rexx and shook her head a little. The older male sighed and turned his attention to the other girls. **"Please forgive my friend over there. He just can't control himself sometimes. My name is Gale and it is a pleasure to meet you all."**

Catarina smiled and thought that Gale was really cute, although she didn't show any sign of it. **"It's quite alright Gale, my friend is the same way. I am Catarina and this is Rosella. She's a little shy around new people."**

 **"I am not that shy Catarina."** Rosella said. _'And you said that this was exactly what I need to boost my confidence.'_

Rachel couldn't believe what Catarina had just said. She could easily tell that Cat was interested in Gale and believed that to be reason behind it all. It was her idea to help Rosella get past her shyness and she was not helping one bit. **"Catarina, I'm sure that Rosella could have handled things herself. It's one thing to boost confidence and another to embarrass someone. I'm Rachel by the way."**

Catarina blushed a little upon realizing what she had done and turned away from everyone. **"I'm sorry Rosella. I shouldn't have said that."**

Rosella laughed a little and glanced at Catarina. **"It's alright Catarina. I don't mind one bit that you said that. It is true after all, but you should at least let me try next time."** Turning her attention to Colton, she had to wonder if he was like her. The boy seemed almost familiar to her and she wanted to know why. **"Who's that?"**

Colton had hung back from the group and tried to focus on everything else around him. It was true that he was quite shy, but he still wanted to meet new people. His shyness tended to act up a little more when he was around girls. Gale and Rexx had invited him to come out and see if they could meet some girls. It was more like Rexx dragged them along just so he could get some time away from the school. Colton only agreed to come because he wanted to see the city.

Gale glanced over his shoulder at Colton and smiled a little. **"That's Colton. He's a little shy around girls."** Gale said. **"Let me see if I can get him to come over."** With that, he turned and walked over to Colton. **"Come on buddy and meet these girls."**

With a sigh, Colton slowly made his way over to the girls and stared at the ground. **"H-Hi. I o-overheard your n-names s-so you d-don't have t-to tell me. And y-you already know m-my name."**

Rosella smiled and placed a hand on Colton's shoulder. **"It's alright Colton. I understand just what you're going through. It's alright to be a little afraid, but with time, I'm sure that you will be able to have more confidence to talk to people. I should know, I'm a little shy myself."**

Colton looked up at Rosella and smiled a little. **"Thank you. I w-will try to be more c-confident."**

 **"Well now that we got the introductions out of the way,"** Rachel said. **"How about we just take a walk around the park?"**

Rexx was the first to speak up before anyone else could get a word in. **"Sounds great to me. That is as long as I get to walk with my best friend Carmen."**

Carmen laughed and flicked Rexx in the forehead. **"I'd like that."**

Rosella nodded as she walked beside Colton and Gale. Catarina and Rachel was on Gale's other side, trying to get some distance away from the two hot heads in back. For the most part, the walk was quiet and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Carmen and Rexx were too busy talking about everything they did as kids.

 **"Those two are really getting along quite well."** Rachel said.

Catarina glanced back at Rexx and Carmen, smiling a little. **"I think that they both are a little too hyperactive. You can easily tell that they are friends by the way they act."**

Rexx and Carmen stayed a few feet away from the others, talking about their childhood. Carmen was the first to bring up memories, **"We really used to frighten the other kids. I still set things on fire every now and then. Do you remember the day that I discovered my powers?"**

Rexx laughed and stretched out a little. **"How could I forget that day? You ended up melting one of the park benches and scared the crap out of the other kids. I can remember many different times when you set something on fire or melted things. Your volcanic powers were always fascinating."**

Carmen smiled and went on with what she was saying. **"I actually set a book on fire in class today. It was enough to singe the top of the table. Luckily, the teacher was able to put it out before anyone got hurt."**

 **"It's nice to see Rexx with someone that doesn't find him a little annoying."** Gale said. Colton sighed and smiled just a little bit.

 **"He may get annoying at times, but he's still a great friend to have. Rexx has been helping me improve on my fighting skills."**

Gale laughed and stared up at the sky. **"I've never seen anyone so hyperactive and yet so talented with a weapon. He is a good friend that will always come running to your aid."**

 **"Rexx is from Zevia."** Rosella said. **"May I ask where you two are from?"**

Rachel and Catarina glanced over at the two specialists, wondering exactly the same thing. Rexx had been the only one to announce, or at least verify, where he was actually from. It was actually Carmen that pointed it out in a matter of seconds.

Gale brought his attention to Rosella and smiled. **"Well I'm from Marella, the realm of wind. I can use the wind to increase the power of my weapon."**

Colton smiled and awaited for Gale to finish speaking. **"I am from Revia and no, I'm not a unicorn."**

Rosella, Catarina, and Rachel couldn't believe what they were hearing. The had not expected to meet another person from Revia. No one was sure how many escaped the planet, although it would appear that at least two made it. Catarina and Rachel turned their attention to Rosella in order to see her reaction.

Rosella stopped where she was with a look of complete shock on her face. She didn't know of anyone that had survived the attack on her home. **"No wonder you seemed familiar Colton. I'm also from Revia. It's nice to see someone else from home. I never knew who all survived."**

Colton turned to look at Rosella and spoke low enough so only she could hear. **"You're a unicorn aren't you? I could tell that there was something different about you. I'm happy that we were able to meet."**

Gale turned his attention to Colton and smiled. It was nice to know that there was someone he could relate to. In his eyes, Rosella seemed like the type to hide rather than fight. A fairy that couldn't fight, or wouldn't, was a danger to herself. In that instant, he knew exactly who could help learn to stand up for herself. **"I know someone that can help with that confidence booster. He's not here right now, but I'm sure that you will meet soon."**

Rosella nodded and walked with Colton back to the others. It didn't take long for Carmen and Rexx to catch up at all. **"I would be happy to meet this person Gale. Thank you."**

 **"We should get going now."** Rexx said looking at the sky. **"It's getting late and we need to get back to school. You girls should really leave as well. I had fun with you all."**

Catarina nodded and stretched out. **"It is late and we have early classes tomorrow."**

 **"How about we give you girls a ride back to Alfea?"** Gale asked.

Carmen just about jumped for joy at the question and smiled. **"That would be great. I really don't feel like walking to the bus stop."**

The girls nodded their heads and followed the boys back to their ship. Rosella wasn't quite sure what to make of everything and stared out a nearby window. Once everyone was settled, they took off to Alfea. After saying goodnight, the girls walked back to their dorm as the guys left. It had been a long day so the girls decided that it was time to turn in for the night. **"Well, I feel a little better."** Rosella said while climbing into bed. **"Meeting the guys was a great idea and I'm really happy that I met someone else from Revia."**

Catarina smiled as she laid down and looked over at Rosella. **"That's what I'm talking about. You did great today Rosella. Just think about the guys if you feel those nightmares return."**

Rosella could only nod at Catarina before drifting off into a deep sleep. Once the sun had finally set, her horn appeared and shined like a rainbow. For the rest of the night, her nightmares did not haunt her dreams one bit. All she could think about was the great day she had with her friends. It was a bit of shock to her that Rachel apologized without any problems. Meeting the guys had made the day even better and time seemed to fade away. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she actually felt safe and believed that her friends would guide her.

 **Splendora's Base**

Splendora had watched the girls go about their day in Magix City and smirked. **"Those specialists will be a problem. I can't allow them to interfere."**

Within seconds, another woman's voice could be heard. **"Allow me to get rid of them mistress. Those pathetic boys won't know what hit them."**

 **"Oh please. I could easily deal with them myself and capture that fairy as well."** A male voice said.

Splendora grew quite annoyed at the two and with a snap of her fingers, made the viewing orb disappear. **"Patience. You will both get the chance to deal with them all. But first, we must create some tension between their friendships. We can not allow Rosella to gain courage. For the time being, we will wait and see what else we can find out about them."** Chuckling, she disappeared into the darkness and out of sight.


	7. Deceit

The only thing that could be heard was the sound of boots echoing off the stone floor. A few minutes passed and the footsteps stopped, but only long enough for the sound of a door opening. Within the darkness was a lone figure, that seemed to hover in mid-air. The footsteps drew closer as a single torch suddenly ignited and illuminated the hovering figure.

 **"It's such a shame that you couldn't make it to your precious school."** A male voice said. **"And to think that you missed the very first day. They have no clue where you are and they don't care. This, however, works in my favor. I'll be taking your place and destroy that worthless school from the inside."**

 **"They will see right through you."** The figure slowly lifted its head to reveal a young boy. He had black hair tied in a ponytail and brown eyes. His outfit consisted of a black t-shirt, brown jacket, black gloves, dark blue pants, and brown boots. The appearance of the young male was broken and bruised. There were rips and tears all throughout his clothing, along with bruises on his face and chest. The boy had obviously been through a lot and was in dire need of help. Dark purple threads held the boy in the air and tightened whenever he tried to break free.

 **"I'm not the prisoner. They don't even know what you look like. It will be easy for me to blend in if I look just like you. No one will suspect a thing."**

More time passed and the sound of stilettos could be heard echoing off the stone floor. The door opened to reveal a female figure, but nothing more. **"Are you ready? It's almost morning and they will be starting soon."**

The male smirked and walked over to the witch. **"Let's get this over with. We wouldn't want to keep anyone waiting. It's not like anyone would come looking for this pathetic loser."**

Dark purple energy surrounded the male and engulfed him. When the magic cleared, the male walked back over to the prisoner and laughed. **"We're just like twins you weakling. By the time those fools figure me out, it will be too late."** With that, he turned and left the room with the witch. Within seconds, the torch went out and hid the face of the prisoner.

 **Red Fountain**

A mysterious male stood in front of the school and smirked. _'This will be too easy. All I have to do is act like that fool and everything will fall into place. I'll take down this school and my brother all at once. I'm coming for you.'_ With that, he made his way inside and up to his dorm. Everything else had already been taken care, so all he had to do now was wait. He wasn't quite fond of the uniform, but he would put up with it in order to blend in.

The boy had found the classes and training to be quite entertaining. For the most part, he kept to himself and remained quiet. Once everything was over, he made his way back to his room and stared out the window. A few minutes passed and another male walked in.

 **"You must be new here. I'm Gale."**

Turning around, the boy leaned up against the wall and just stared at Gale. **"You can call me Zane. Some things came up and I couldn't make the first day. It is nice to meet you."**

Gale smiled a little and walked over to the window. **"I'm sure that you will be just fine here. Would you like to get out of here? A couple of friends and I were planning on heading into Magix to grab a bite to eat. You could come along if you like."**

Zane nodded, walking off and changing clothes. **"Sounds good to me. Anything beats sitting around here right now."** Time passed and the boys were off to Magix. _'This is way too easy. They really have no idea that I'm an impostor. I just hope that I don't have to keep this charade up for long.'_

 **Alfea**

 **"Come on girls."** Carmen said as she rushed to get dressed. Classes were over for the day and she was in a real hurry to leave.

 **"What has gotten into you Carmen?"** Rachel asked.

Catarina and Rosella began to giggle, watching as Carmen ran back and forth across her room. They had a feeling as to why she was in such a rush.

" **Does this have something to do with Rexx?"** Catarina asked.

Carmen could only smile and giggle a little before answering Catarina. **"You got that right. He invited me out to lunch and I just couldn't go without you girls. The rest of the guys will be there as well."**

The girls quickly got ready and got on the bus to Magix. It was a cloudy day, although the sun was still able to shine through. After arriving in the city, the girls walked down the sidewalk to a pizzeria and took a seat in a large booth. After a few minutes of waiting, the guys walked in and took a seat beside them.

" **It sure took you boys long enough."** Rachel said annoyed. _'This had better be worth it or I'm so going to get Carmen back for waking me up.'_

Rexx chuckled a little and scratched the back of his head. **"Sorry about that. It took a lot to convince these guys to come along with me."** _'I really didn't want to be the only guy with all these girls.'_

Zane, who was sitting the furthest from the girls, remained quiet and listened to their conversation. _'This is far too easy. As long as I keep up this guise, they will never suspect what I'm really up to. I just have to keep this up long enough to take out my foolish brother.'_

Rosella took notice to Zane and smiled. **"Hello there, I don't remember meeting you."**

Gale glanced over at Zane and then back to Rosella. **"This is my new roommate, Zane. He just arrived today."**

" **It's a pleasure to meet you Zane."** Rosella said. **"My name is Rosella."**

Zane smiled and nodded, **"The pleasure is all mine Rosella."** _'She's the one that Splendora is after. It wouldn't be too hard to capture her, but I can't allow that to get in the way of my mission. Besides, I can't do anything with so many people here.'_

" **Zane, that's a nice name."** Rachel said smiling. **"I'm Rachel. These are my friends, Carmen and Catarina."**

Zane chuckled a little and stretched out. **"You are quite lovely my dear Rachel."**

After a few minutes of talking, the food arrived and they all started eating. Once everyone was done, they decided to take a walk through the city. Rosella and Catarina walked with Gale and Colton, while Rachel stuck close to Zane. Carmen and Rexx were off in their own little world and drowned out everyone else.

" **Where are you from Zane?"** Rachel asked.

Zane had been keeping an close eye on Rosella until Rachel caught his attention. **"I'm from Tempesta beautiful."**

" **Tempesta. That's interesting to know."**

Catarina glanced back at Zane and couldn't help but feel something off. She decided that it was best to keep quiet about it until she was absolutely sure. _'Something isn't right about that guy. His aura seems to be corrupted or something.'_ **"Hey Gale. What do you know about Zane?"**

" **Not much really."** Gale said. **"This is the first time we've actually met. All I know is that he was supposed to have been here yesterday, but something came up. Why do you ask?"**

" **I was just curious."**

 _'It's almost as if Catarina is hiding something.'_ Rosella thought. **"He doesn't seem like a bad guy."**

Gale sighed and turned his head, facing forward. **"We'll just have to get to know him better. I'm sure that he's not so bad once you get to know him."**

" **Would you like to help me pick out some fire proof outfits Rexx?"** Carmen asked.

Rexx couldn't help but laugh a little and nod his head. **"I would love to beautiful."**

Carmen just about jumped ten feet off the ground before grabbing Rexx's arm and taking off into a nearby clothing store. **"This is going to be great."**

The first outfit was a red strapless dress that flowed down to her knees. Yellow and orange bangles hung on her wrists with a flame emblem hanging off. She wore sparkly red high heels and a volcano necklace. The dress itself had a flame pattern going down the sides, fading from orange to yellow.

" **How do I look?"**

Rexx couldn't believe his eyes at what he was seeing. For a few minutes, he stood there in complete awe. **"You look beautiful Carmen. That dress really works for you."**

Carmen smiled and ran over to him. **"I'm glad that you like it Rexx. I believe that I will buy it."** With that she took off and came back with three shopping bags. **"Let's get back to the others."**

" **Sounds like a good idea my lovely."**

" **I would like to know more about you Zane."** Rachel said smiling.

Zane chuckled and stared at the sky, then back to Rachel. **"I'll be happy to tell you everything your radiance. What else would you like to know?"**

Rachel giggled and clung on to Zane's arm. **"What do you like?"**

" **Let's see. I love moonlight, especially if there's a full moon out. The stars along with the moon create a perfect shine, but they are not as lovely as you my dear."**

" **That all sounds wonderful."** Rachel said. _'This guy really knows to charm a girl. I would really love to spend more time with him. Maybe we'll get a chance to spend some time alone.'_

Colton had hung close behind Gale and kept to himself. He had to laugh a little when Carmen took off with Rexx. Something in Catarina's voice had really started to worry him. There was nothing to indicate that Zane was a bad guy at all. Perhaps Catarina could see something the rest of them couldn't.

" **Perhaps there is more to this guy than we realize."**

Rosella stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. " **Oh Colton. You were so quiet that I forgot you were even there. Maybe you are just cautious because you've just met Zane."**

" **Maybe you are right Rosella."** Catarina said smiling. **"It could be possible that we're just jumping to conclusions. Let's just get to know him and go from there."** _'Still, his aura is very off. It's almost as if he's a completely different person.'_

Gale looked up at the sky and noticed that it was getting dark. **"It's been fun girls, but we should really get back now."**

" **As much as I don't want to, Gale is right."** Rexx said. **"We need to get back and get our new friend settled in."**

Carmen slumped down and sighed. **"I guess if you have to go then you have to go."**

" **We need to get back as well."** Catarina said. **"It's almost curfew anyways and we wouldn't want to be caught out after hours."**

They all said their goodbyes and headed off to their respected schools. The girls had barely made it back to their dorm when curfew was called. Once they were back in their room, they sat down and stretched out.

 **Alfea**

" **Well that was fun. You made a great call Carmen."** Catarina said.

" **It truly was a great idea to bring you girls along. You should've seen Rexx's face when I tried on that dress. I left him speechless."**

Rosella smiled and chuckled a little. **"You two really seem to like each other. You're in love with him aren't you?"**

Carmen smiled and jumped up out of her seat. **"I've always had a crush on him. He's become so handsome. I like him just as much as Catarina likes Gale."**

" **Gale is just so sweet and wise."** Catarina said. **"I love to listen to him talk. I've never met anyone that could stay so calm. How about Rachel's crush on Zane? I want to know more about you Zane."**

Rachel blushed a deep red and sent a small glare towards Catarina, **"He's so mysterious. Of course I want to know more about him. That helps me get to know him a lot better than you. And I don't have a crush on him."**

" **Well, you were clinging to his arm for a while."** Rosella said. **"He really seems like a good guy and a romantic."**

Catarina smiled and stood up, **"Zane seems really interested in you Rachel. Especially by the way he kept complimenting you. What about you Rosella? Colton has taken an interest in you."**

" **Colton and I just happen to be from the same place."** Rosella said. **"It's not that we like each other at all. We're just friends and I'm sure that he is happy to meet another survivor. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one left. The planet may be gone, but there could be more survivors somewhere."**

The rest of the girls smiled and walked over to Rosella, hugging her. She was finally starting to open up a little and it felt good. Rosella had been running for so long, that she forgot what it was like to have friends. She would still worry about their safety, but believed that they could get through this. Splendora was still out there somewhere and that was what frightened her the most.

Catarina smiled and pulled Rosella to her feet, **"That's some positive thinking Rosella. I promise, if there are more survivors, we will find them one day."**

" **And we will put a stop to Splendora's plans as well."** Rachel said.

Carmen nodded and threw a fist in the air. **"Just let that witch try something. We'll show her just what we are made of. Together, we are one. Now, how about a party?"**

Rosella was happy to have friends like them. They were each unique in their own way. Catarina could calm down anyone. Carmen was always happy, until you made her mad. Rachel might have been mean at first, but she was the toughest girl Rosella knew. It was just the four of them and the thought of two new roommates was exciting. Within seconds, the girls started throwing pillows at each other and laughing. They continued their little party until about midnight, when they decided that it was time to head to bed.

 **Red Fountain**

The boys had finally made it back their dorm and helped get Zane settled in. Zane didn't really have much to put away, so it took no time at all. Afterwards, they sat around and talked for a few hours. For the most part, Zane was really quiet and just wanted to lay in his bed.

" **What do you think of everything so far Zane?"** Gale asked.

Zane sat up and glanced over at Gale, **"I think that I will like it here. The classes are great and I really like being so close to those girls."**

" **Speaking of girls, you have a thing for Rachel."** Rexx said.

Zane sighed and threw his arms up in defeat. **"It's true. That girl truly is something else. She seems to shine just like a diamond."**

Colton had been staring out the window and listening to the conversation take place. **"You should focus more on Carmen Rexx. I can tell that you have a crush on her."**

Rexx laughed and flopped down on his bed. **"What can I say? That girl was always beautiful. We actually pretended to date when were kids. Is there anyone that you like Colton? You sure get along well with Rosella."**

" **Rosella is one of the kindest girls you could ever meet."** Colton said. **"I don't have a crush on her. We're just friends and nothing more. At least now, she knows that she isn't alone and I'm happy for her."**

Gale laughed and stared out the window. **"Rosella is definitely different from the rest of the girls. She seems to be a little more distant."**

" **And Gale has a crush on Catarina."** Rexx said sitting up. **"She likes talking to you buddy and I guess that she finds it comforting."**

Gale sighed and turned his attention to Rexx. **"Catarina is so calm and somehow knows exactly what to say people. She's definitely a good friend to have. So what if I do like her?"**

They continued to talk for a few more hours before heading off to bed. Zane had been lying down his back, staring at the ceiling as everyone else drifted off. The first day had gone surprisingly well, but he wasn't quite finished yet. He had yet to find his brother and that would be his goal.

 _'Perhaps if these fools spent less time worrying about those fairies, they would be able to figure me out.'_ Zane thought. _'That Catarina could be a problem if I don't do something. She's the fairy of Aura, so I'm sure that she could sense something from me. If I'm going to keep this up, I'll have to find a way to block that power of hers. I can't allow anyone to figure me out just yet.'_

 **Splendora's Base**

Splendora was once again watching the events unfold from her tower and smirked. Once everyone had drifted off to sleep, the orb disappeared and she leaned back on her throne. Blood red candles illuminated the area enough to show her face. She had black hair with crimson bangs and deep blue eyes. Her outfit consisted of a black dress with a single strap on the right side and a long sleeve on the left arm. The skirt itself was black and had a spider web pattern that reached just below her knees. She wore a crimson bodice that was strapless and stopped at the top of her skirt. The boots she wore were black with red heels that reached just above her ankles. She had one strip of hair that went down to her waist and crimson tentacles coming out her back. Her makeup consisted of pink eye shadow that rose past her eyebrows.

" **Those fools have no clue what's really going on. That boy has infiltrated that worthless school with great success. And he's even gotten close to that fairy, Rachel. Now, all he has to do is convince her that her so-called friends are out to get her. Echo."**

Within an instant, a cloud of dark purple smoke appeared in front of her. The smoke cleared to reveal another witch. The woman wore a dark purple dress that reached her knee caps with a dark red halter strap. She had short black hair that reached a few inches below her shoulders and yellow eyes. Around her waist was a blood red sash and she wore black gloves that reached past her elbows. On her feet were dark purple ankle boots with dark red heels.

" **What is it you wish of me mistress?"**

Splendora smirked and stared directly at the witch. **"I want you to make it so that little aura pixie can't sense Rave. We do not need those goody goods finding out about our plans. For this to work, he needs to blend in without raising suspicion."**

" **As you command."** With that, Echo disappeared, arriving below red fountain. **"This will be easy.  
** **Qui mi onde sonore delle tenebre . Usa il tuo potere e nascondere la verità da occhi indiscreti** **."** Within seconds, a wave of dark purple energy shot through the school and was absorbed into Zane's body. **"It is done."** All that was left of Echo was a cloud of purple smoke.

Zane smirked as the energy entered his body and closed his eyes. _'This will make sure that little fairy doesn't figure me out.'_

 **Echo Translation:** Here me sound waves of darkness. Use your power and hide the truth from prying eyes

.


	8. The Specialist, Alex

_~Last Time~_

 _The girls spent the day with the guys in Magix City. It was there that they met a new guy by the name of Zane. Catarina and Rosella suspect that Zane is up to no good. Without any problems, Rave has managed to infiltrate Red Fountain as Zane. Meanwhile, the real Zane is locked away in Splendora's tower._

The witch, Echo, made her way into the depths of Splendora's dark tower. Far beneath the ground was the many cells of the dungeon. Torches, were the only light source in this area and things got darker with each step. Each cell contained a different creature, of which Splendora used in her attacks. Upon reaching the reaching the bottom of the endless stairs, Echo stopped at a door and carefully unlocked it. After entering the dimly lit room, she silently closed the door behind her and walked up to the floating figure. This particular cell held the specialist, Zane, prisoner while Rave infiltrated Red Fountain. Lifting up his chin, she smirked and rubbed the side of his face.

 **"Rave is blending in nicely. By the time those fools realize the truth, it will be too late. Not even an aura fairy can see through his lies."**

Zane could only glare at Echo before smirking himself. **"Do you truly believe that your little illusion will fool the great minds in those schools? What will you do when they find out what's really going on?"**

Echo growled a little and back-slapped Zane across the face. **"Do not underestimate my abilities boy. No one will stop the plans of my mistress. Not even the Company of Light can stop her."**

Zane winced in pain a little and continued to glare at Echo, **"You're wrong witch. Splendora will be stopped."**

With a slight chuckle, Echo left the cell and made her way back up to Splendora's chamber. As she walked in, she could see her mistress sitting upon her throne. **"Mistress. I have completed my task as you commanded."**

Splendora looked up at Echo and smiled, **"Good work Echo. Now, those fools won't suspect a thing. Soon, I will have everything I ever wanted."**

 **"If I may my mistress, what is that you are trying to achieve? Why go through so much trouble for this one girl?"**

 **"You want to know exactly what intentions are behind my actions."** Splendora said smirking. **"Fine, I will tell you. That girl has a power beyond your comprehension. Within that horn is a power that could rival the dragonflame, but only if it is combined with the others. However, even with all that power, it still wouldn't match the dragon's power but it will come close to it."**

 **"I didn't think that there was any power that could even come close to the magic of the dragonflame."** Echo said. _'Could that unicorn horn really be that powerful?'_

 **"There are many great powers within the magic dimension. The dragonflame is no longer needed to protect it. The time of the Winx is over and it will take a even greater power to defeat me. If that girl understood the full potential of that horn, she would easily defeat me. I have to take it from her before she unlocks it's true power."**

Echo stood a little dumb-founded. Just what sort of power was within that horn. **"Her true power mistress."**

 **"If those fairies were to gain the power of Scoutix, my plans will be ruined. Many have tried to take over the magic dimension, but those meddling Winx made sure that didn't happen. Those fairies defeated everyone that threatened their worlds. If I can capture Rosella, I can lock her away and no one will be able to get to her. We must find a way to get her alone."**

Echo smirked and focused her gaze even more on her mistress. **"Leave that to me mistress."**

With that, Echo left Splendora's chambers and walked down a flight a stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a dark purple door with a crimson center. She then opened the door and walked in the dimly lit room. The room itself was made up of dark stone walls and floors. Towards the back of the room was a small window that overlooked the rugged terrain below the tower. On the far left was a crimson canopy bed with a dark purple bedspread. Beside the bed stood a small mahogany dresser and vanity. To the right of the room, were shelves filled with many different vials of strange liquid and ingredients.

 _'Splendora has already collected enough unicorn horns to get the power she desires. And yet she still seeks to go after Rosella. There must be a deeper meaning as to why she's targeting this one girl. The combined power of all the horns collected so far should be more than enough. I need to know more about the history of those two.'_

 **Alfea**

After classes were finished for the day, Rosella made her way to the quad and leaned up against one of the walls. Three weeks had gone by since she had last ran into Splendora, which made her worry. What exactly was the witch planning and why hadn't she attacked lately? Sighing, Rosella made her way to the bus stop and stared out the window during the trip into Magix. This was the first time, since arriving at Alfea, that she had gone off on her own. Things were still a little frightening to her, but not as much as usual. With the help of her new friends, she has gained a new confidence and hopes to become braver.

During the past few weeks, Rosella had made three new friends and even met a few nice guys. She could remember Gale mentioning a friend that he thought she should meet. So far, she has yet to meet to this friend and wonders if he even exists. Why hadn't this guy been introduced to her? Could it be that they have all been too busy for socialization? And what about the new guy, Zane? The guy was very mysterious and Rosella had a problem with it. The others girls seemed to like Zane, but she could tell that Catarina sensed something off as well.

 **Magix**

Deep within a secluded area of the park, a young man was lying in the grass asleep. The boy had light blue hair that was little longer than his shoulder blades and golden eyes. He was wearing a blue camo t-shirt, black jeans, and dark blue boots. Anyone that took notice to the boy, just went about their daily business. No one knew who the boy was and figured that he wanted to be alone.

Rosella had gotten off the bus and made her way into the park. The weather was perfect for a walk and she was going to take the time to do so. Being in the park reminded her a lot of home and all the great memories she had. Without paying much attention, she found herself tripping over something or someone. Within seconds, the boy stood up and helped her back on her feet.

 **"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you there."** Rosella said.

The boy looked at her and smiled, **"It's alright. Perhaps taking a nap in the middle of the park was not the best idea."**

Rosella smiled and looked up at the boy, feeling a little mesmerized by his appearance. **"It's a nice day. Too nice to be spending time inside. My name's Rosella by the way."** _'Oh my. I can barely look at this guy. Something about him just makes me so comfortable.'_

 **"It's nice to meet you Rosella."** The boy said. **"My name is Alexander, but you can call me Alex. Yeah, it truly is a nice day. I really needed a break from classes."**

 **"You go to Red Fountain."**

Alex chuckled and stretched out, **"That's right. My friend, Gale, said that I should come here."**

Rosella blinked a few times and started to wonder if Alex was the friend Gale was talking about. **"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm a little shy around people. So, you know Gale?"**

 **"Gale is my best friend. Actually, he was the first friend that I made when I started at Red Fountain."**

 **"He seems like a really nice guy."** Rosella said smiling. **"He actually told me that he had a friend that I should meet. I'm starting to think that he meant you."**

Alex wasn't too sure what to say at that point. **"What makes you say that Rosella?"**

 **"It's just a feeling I got when I first saw you."**

After a few hours of talking, Alex walked Rosella back to the bus stop. Even though she was with Alex, Rosella still felt unsafe. Why hadn't Splendora attacked? What exactly was she planning? And why did Zane seem suspicious? Once she got back to Alfea, she would ask Catarina about it. For the moment, Rosella was happy that she was able to meet Alex.

 **"Is something on your mind Rosella?"** Alex asked.

Rosella smiled and shook her head, _"It's nothing Alex. I don't want you to have to worry about it."_

 **"Alright then. If you don't want to talk, you don't have to."**

 **"Thanks for talking to me Alex."** Rosella said smiling. **"Let's make sure to see each other again sometime."**

Alex nodded and watched as Rosella rode off on the bus. _'Yea, I'm definitely going to meet her again. I don't know why, but there's something different about her.'_

 _What connection does Splendora have with Rosella? Will anyone come to save Zane from his imprisonment? Will someone figure Rave out before it's too late? Find out next time in the next epiode of Scoutix Club._


	9. Prisoner

_~Previously~_

 _Splendora reveals information about the power of Rosella's horn to Echo. There seems to be another reason behind Splendora's intentions. Could it be that she has some connection with Rosella? Rosella spent time in the park and met a specialist known as Alex._

 **Red Fountain**

Rave had finished with his training and decided to watch Gale face off against Rexx. For the moment, he was quite impressed with their skills. Gale was more defensive while Rexx had a talent for offense. Each time Rexx would strike with his chakram, Gale would block the attack with his tonfa. After a few more minutes of training, Gale and Rexx decided that it was time for a break.

 **"I don't get how you do it Gale."** Rexx said, wiping sweat off his brow. **"You didn't even break a sweat and I was going all out. I don't get how you can block so easily. None of my attacks got through."**

Gale chuckled a little and sighed. **"Yea, you went all out alright and that's your problem. All you did was use the same attack over and over. If you want to break my defense, you need to adapt more. The last thing you want is to be predictable."**

Rexx began to laugh until he spotted Colton and Alex. **"This should be interesting. Who do you think will win this one?"**

Gale turned his attention to Colton and Alex. **"It's hard to tell. Alex is quite skilled when it comes to long range attacks. On the other hand, Colton has speed on his hands. This should be a really close match."**

Rave turned his attention to the training field once more and glared upon seeing Alex. _'It's about time that I got to see Alex. You won't be able to get away from me. However, I can't reveal my true self yet. Everyone around here must believe that I am Zane.'_

 **"Don't even think about holding back Colton."** Alex said.

Colton smiled and readied his javelin. **"I wouldn't dream of it. Besides, you need to work more on close range combat."**

Alex chuckled and fired off a few frost arrows at Colton. _'Let's see what you got Colton.'_

Colton waited until the arrows came close and quickly blocked each one with his javelin. As Alex readied more frost arrows, Colton ran towards him and brought the javelin down on his shoulder. Before Alex could react, the javelin struck him and caused him to wince in pain.

 **"You've gotten a lot better Colton."** Alex said, using his bow to push Colton back.

Colton struggled against Alex's advance before using his javelin to counter. Within an instant, the connection was broken. **"You could've easily blocked my attack and spared your shoulder. Relying only on your arrows won't get you anywhere. It takes time to ready your bow, giving your opponent the opportunity to cause some serious damage. It's a good thing we're just sparring or who knows what could've happened."**

 **"I guess we both have a lot of things to work on."** Alex said chuckling a little. **"This is why we make a great team. We each make up for what the other lacks. Let's help each other become stronger alright."**

Colton nodded and put away his javelin. **"Sure thing buddy. We have a lot to learn. I just hope that we're ready before we need those skills. Something bad is about to happen and we need to be ready."**

Rave couldn't stand the thought of seeing the one that stole his life away. Having to sit back and act as if nothing was wrong was the hardest thing he had to do so far. All he wanted was to take down the one that caused him so much pain, but his mistress wouldn't allow it. He didn't know how much longer he had to keep up his little charade as Zane, but he would do as he was commanded. At least, for now anyways.

" **Hey Zane."** Alex said, walking up to him. **"Why don't you come down and spar as well. We're interested to see what you can do."**

Rave looked up at Alex with a smile, pretending that the anger he had disappeared. **"I'm not really as skilled as you all are."**

Rexx chuckled a little and placed a hand on Rave's shoulder. **"That's the reason we are all here. The only way you can improve, is to show us what you got and then we can figure out what problems you have."**

" **I suppose that I could show you a little of what I can do."** Rave said before pulling out a whip. **"I haven't had much practice with that thing."** ' _I'll be happier when I don't have to use that fool's weapon.'_

Alex turned his attention to the whip and smirked. **"I'll take you on. Let's see how well you handle my arrows."**

Without hesitation, the two specialists walked out on the training field and stood ready for battle. Rave knew that he would have to hold back, even though he didn't like the idea of it. This gave him a great opportunity to test Alex's skills. After all, they would be facing each other soon enough. The battle raged on, leaving Alex as the victor.

" **Zane is pretty good with that whip."** Rexx said.

Gale kept a close watch on the battle and narrowed his eyes a little. **"Zane may be good, but it's almost as if he's never held that whip before. Something's not right you guys and I need to figure out what."** With that, he walked off to his dorm room and took a seat on his bed. _'Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions. Zane can't be that bad, can he? Still, I have to keep an eye on him. I just know that something is going to happen and it won't be good.'_

 **Splendora's Base**

Splendora watched the specialists from her shadow orb and glared a little. Her main focus was on Rave until Gale spoke up. **"That boy is getting suspicious. We can't allow him to get in our way. If he figures Rave out, then all my plans will be for nothing. He must be dealt with before he learns too much. Bring him to me Echo."**

" **As you wish mistress."** Without hesitation, Echo disappeared into the shadows.

" **This boy could be the exact thing I need to get rid of those pesky fairies. Anyone that tries to figure out my plans will become a prisoner. Now to see what those fairies are up to."** The image on the orb quickly switched images and stopped at Alfea.

 **Alfea**

Rosella and her friends were hanging out in the quad, awaiting the bus to Magix. Since classes were over for the day, they decided to take a little trip. While Rachel, Catarina, and Carmen talked about what they were going to buy, Rosella was thinking about something else.

" **Is something on your mind Rosella?"** Catarina asked.

Rosella smiled and shook her head. **"It's nothing. I just thinking about something."**

Carmen had a devilish grin on her face and moved closer to Rosella. **"Perhaps you are thinking about someone. Your thinking about a boy aren't you?"**

Rachel sighed and pulled Carmen back, **"That's a little creepy Carmen. She would tell us if it was something like that."** Smiling, she turned her attention to Rosella. **"Tell us about this boy you met."**

Rosella chuckled and stretched out. **"Why do you think it's about a boy I met?"**

" **It's written all over your face Rosella. I think someone's in love."** Catarina said.

Blushing, Rosella jumped up and tried to hide her face. **"Alright. I did meet a boy. His name is Alex. I don't know that much about him. All I know is that he goes to Red Fountain. He's the one that Gale told me about."**

" **That reminds me."** Catarina said, pulling out her cell phone. **"I was planning on calling Gale. He should be finished with training by now."** Smiling, she walked off and waited for Gale to pick up. It didn't take long for the voicemail to pick up. **"That's odd. Gale always picks up for me. I'm getting the feeling that something bad has happened to him."**

 **Red Fountain**

Echo appeared in Gale's room and smirked upon seeing him. He had been staring out the window and didn't notice anyone come in. Upon hearing his phone go off, he went to grab it and was knocked unconscious. As his vison faded, he took notice to Echo and did his best to get back up.

" **Go to sleep little boy."** Echo said as she smashed his phone. **"No one is going to save you."**

Gale was able to see that it was Catarina calling before his eyes closed. _'I knew something was wrong. Catarina, forgive me. I should have paid more attention.'_

Echo stared down at Gale's unconscious body and laughed. **"You now belong to my mistress."** With that, she surrounded him in a sound barrier and sent out a wave of energy. The energy swept through the room, creating a huge mess before echoing through the grounds. Within seconds, Echo and Gale disappeared into thin air.

" **Did you guys feel that?"** Colton asked, looking around the grounds.

Alex narrowed his eyes and quickly looked around. **"That felt like dark energy. It seems as if the school is under attack, but I don't see anything."**

Rexx clenched his fists and looked up at the dorms. **"Whatever it was, it came from Gale's room."**

" **Then there's no time to waste."** Rave said. **"We need to make sure that Gale is alright."**

Without hesitation, the guys took off to Gale's room. Just by looking at the mess, they could tell that something bad happened. Alex took notice to Gale's phone and picked it up. **"It looks like Catarina was the last person to call him. Although, judging by the look of things, I don't think that he got the chance to answer. This can only mean that someone has taken him."**

Rexx looked down and turned his attention to the window. **"This was the last place he was at and no one was around to help him."**

" **Calm down Rexx."** Colton said. **"He did mention that he wanted to check something. Gale believed that something bad was going to happen and now he's gone. We don't even have any clues as to where he's at or if he's even alive."**

Rave sighed and sat down on the bed. **"I haven't known him long, but I don't believe that he would drop his guard so easily. Something must have been on his mind or else this wouldn't have happened. Should we tell the girls?"**

 **Alfea**

" **Is something wrong Catarina?"** Rosella asked.

Catarina walked back to the group and shook her head. **"Something has happened to Gale. He's not picking up his phone at all."**

" **Maybe he's still in training."** Rachel said.

Catarina let a few tears fall and shook her head once more. **"He finished training half an hour ago. By this time, he's back in his room. We talk at the same time each day and he always lets me know if he'll be running late. I have to find out what has happened to him."**

" **Let me see if Rexx knows anything."** Carmen said as she called Rexx. Within a few minutes, she walked off and leaned up against a wall. **"Catarina is already in tears. Meet us in the quad."** After hanging up, she walked back to the group and placed a hand on Catarina's shoulder. **"The guys are on their way. They thought that we should hear about what's going on in person."**

Before anyone could say anything more, the boys arrived and walked up to them. On the way there, they had been trying to figure out a way to tell Catarina what happened. They knew that she wouldn't take the news well and that she needed to hear about it in person. Now they had a mission to accomplish, find Gale and bring him home.

" **Please, tell me what's going on."** Catarina said.

Rexx sighed and looked down a little, **"We can't be sure really. All we know is that someone has taken him."**

Alex looked over at Rosella and quickly turned away. **"Whoever took him is flowing with dark energy. It would seem that he was attacked while trying to answer your call Catarina. His room was a mess and we found his phone smashed to pieces. There was something that he was trying to figure out and I believe that's why he was taken. Don't worry, we'll do everything we can to find him."**

Catarina fell to her knees and burst out in tears. **"I can't imagine what they must be doing to him. We have to find him and bring him back. I just couldn't stand the thought of him being dead."**

" **This has Splendora written all over it."** Rosella said.

 **Splendora's Base**

Echo appeared in front of Splendora with Gale and threw him across the floor. After a few minutes, Gale opened his eyes and looked around. He had very little visibility due to the dim lighting, causing him to panic a little. It wasn't long before he set his eyes on Splendora and realized what had happened.

" **Where am I?"**

Splendora kept her gaze on Gale and smirked, **"You're in my tower little boy. And don't even think about trying to escape. No one even knows where you are and they won't be able to find you. Besides, they won't stand against me."**

Gale glared and attempted to stand, only to be knocked back down by Echo. **"Who are you? And what do you want with me?"**

" **You're in no position to be asking questions boy."** Echo said, stomping down on his back.

Gale cried out in pain and turned his gaze on Splendora once more. **"You won't get away with this. My friends will come and they will defeat you."**

Splendora couldn't help but laugh at Gale's words, **"You stupid boy. Don't you get it. I want them to come here. In their current state, they won't stand a chance. Capturing you was just a bonus. I can't have you telling your friends about my plans. Lock him up with the other one."**

Before Gale could say another word, he was dragged off by Echo. The way to the dungeon seemed to go on forever, until they reached the stairs. _'There has to be something I can do. This witch took my weapons and I have no way of communicating with the others.'_

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Gale was taken into a chamber and chained to a wall. He tried to fight back as much as possible, but to avail. Looking around, he took notice to torch with a dimly lit flame.

" **It's a shame that you won't be around long enough to watch my mistress take over this pathetic world."** Echo said chuckling. **"Perhaps she will let me keep you as a pet. Join her and you might get to live."**

Gale lifted his head and glared, " **I would never join you witches."**

Echo chuckled before scratching Gale's face, leaving deep gashes. **"Have it your way. I'm sure you'll change your mind in no time at all. I am Echo, witch of sound waves and Splendora controls nightmares. You will learn to obey."** With that, she turned and walked off out of sight.

" **Don't worry about her."**

Gale looked around, trying to find the source of the voice he was hearing. **"Who's there?"**

" **My name's Zane."** Zane said as his face came into view. **"The real Zane."**

" **I'm Gale. Do you know what's going on here?"**

Zane looked down and winced in pain, **"Splendora is after a fairy named Rosella. They captured me in order to send a spy into Red Fountain. The Zane you know is an imposter. I can't be sure as to why they want to infiltrate the school, but there must be something else that they want."**

" **I don't really know of anything they could be looking for. Perhaps they intend to bring the entire school down. They wouldn't be the first to destroy either."**

Zane chuckled a little before becoming serious once more. **"I'm worried more about the fairy. They keep talking about how powerful she is."**

Gale sighed as he felt the blood trickle down his face. **"I'm starting to think that they want Rosella for something more than just power. Splendora has her completely terrified. I've never even seen the girl transform or use magic. These witches caught me off guard and that's how I ended up here. It seems that they are getting rid of anyone that starts to catch on to them."**

" **You've met Rosella."** Zane said smiling a little. **"I've heard stories about where she comes from. She's the fairy of unicorns right. Maybe all she needs is someone that can bring out her courage. It's time that she started fighting back instead of being afraid."**

Gale smiled at the memories of the time he had spent with Rosella and her friends, especially Catarina. All he could do was hope that she would be alright without him. He hadn't known her long, but for some reason he felt attracted to her. She was actually a lot like him and that's what he liked most about her.

" **It seems to me that you are thinking about a girl."**

Gale chuckled and turned his attention back to Zane. **"You could say that. I've spent time with Rosella and her friends. They really are a great group to be around. Maybe one of her friends can help her out. I just wish there was a way that we could warn them."**

" **We can't even get free from this place. And they took all our gear. It doesn't seem like we can rely on your friends to help either. They don't have enough experience to take on those witches."**

 _~Next Time~_

 _Gale has become a prisoner within Splendora's dark tower and his only friend is the real Zane. Without any way to communicate to the others, they can't warn them of the danger. The fairies decide that they need to help Rosella overcome her fears. At the same time, the specialists are heading to the dark tower to scope things out. Will they be able to gain the strength and power needed to save their friends? And just what exactly is Rave planning for Red Fountain? Find out next time on Scoutix Club._


	10. The Plan

_~Previously~_

 _Splendora has taken Gale prisoner and intends to use him to draw in Rosella and her friends. Catarina is completely upset about the whole ordeal. Now the girls and specialists need to find a way to save Gale and find the truth about Rave._

 _'What's going to happen now?'_ Rosella thought as she looked down a little. _'This is all my fault. If I hadn't of come here, then Gale would still be here. Perhaps I should leave and go somewhere with no people.'_

 **"Don't even think about it Rosella."** Carmen said.

Rosella looked at Carmen with a confused look and quickly looked away. **"What are you talking about Carmen?"**

Carmen sighed and placed her hands on Rosella's shoulders. **"You can't fool me Rose. Don't start thinking that any of this is your fault. This is where you belong and you can fight back against that witch."**

 **"Our main focus right now is finding a way to save Gale."** Rachel said. **"And you need to stop dwelling in the past Rosella. Nothing you do is going to change anything. It's time that you face facts and get your life together. I find it hard to believe that I actually became your friend."** With that, she turned and stormed off into the forest.

Carmen watched as Rachel stormed off and shook her head. **"Don't listen to her Rosella. I think she just needs time to calm down. She is right about one thing. You can't let your past control the rest of your life. I'm going to go check on Catarina."**

Rosella could only watch as two of her friends walked off. Perhaps Rachel was right and they shouldn't have become friends. All she really knew was that something had to be done. How could she possibly fight back against Splendora?

 **"Is everything alright Rosella?"** Alex asked, walking up behind her.

Rosella looked back at Alex and shook her head. **"It's nothing that you have to worry about Alex. I've just got a lot things going on right now. Anyways, you're all going to find Gale right."**

 **"You know Rosella,"** Alex began, **"I'm here if you ever want to talk. Gale is one of the strongest people I know. He's not going to let some witch get the best of him. You should get some rest for the battle ahead. I get the feeling that this isn't going to be easy. Besides, right now Catarina needs you."**

Rexx smiled and ran up behind Alex. **"Don't worry, Gale will be back here in no time. And then we can figure out what he thought was going on."**

Colton watched Rexx and sighed, **"I just don't get how he can be so happy about all of this. Must be the excitement for battle. Hopefully Catarina will be able to pull herself together and I understand just what Rosella is going through."**

Catarina watched everyone from the dorm's balcony and stared out into the distance. In the short time that she had known Gale, he had gotten to her heart. Everything about him made her feel safe and sound. It felt as if her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. Gale was always fully aware of his surrounding and yet, somehow he was still able to get captured. What could have possibly been on his mind to distract him? She knew that she would have to get past this depression in order to save him. Her only goal right now, to bring him back safely.

Carmen walked up behind Catarina and placed a hand on her shoulder. **"I'm sure that Gale is alright. You can never know what's going to happen and we will have to go through hardships. Try not to look so down alright. Gale wouldn't want you to spend all this time worrying. We will get him back, no matter what it takes."**

 **"I know that Carmen."** Catarina said sighing. **"I'm trying to be happy, but I just can't right now. I can't stop myself from worrying, but I do believe that Gale will be fine. Until he's safe, I won't be able to smile."**

Carmen smiled and gently hugged her. **"And you have all your friends to help you save him. We need to find someone that can help Rosella get past her fears."**

Catarina let a few tears fall and nodded her head. **"Rosella could be a big help to us, but she needs to see it. She will need to transform in order to fight back and we can't do this without her. It's Rachel I'm worried about."**

 **"I know."** Carmen said. **"Rachel still doesn't trust Rosella and I can't blame her. Rosella is a great person, but she can't live her entire life in fear. Any ideas on someone that can get through to her?"**

Catarina stared down at Rosella and smiled a little. **"I might know just the person. Hopefully, we are able to get in contact with her."**

 **Splendora's Base**

 **"It's time that I pay a little visit to the dungeons."**

Splendora smirked and made her way into the dungeons. Upon seeing Gale and Zane, she smiled a little. It seemed as if they both were unconscious as the witch got closer to them. **"You two don't fool me. Enough with your little charade boys. Open your eyes and look at me."**

Zane was the first to open his eyes and glare at Splendora. It wasn't his first encounter with the witch and he felt like it wouldn't be his last either. He couldn't remember where he had first met her, but he could sense that they had met somewhere before. All he could really do was hope that someone would come to their aid.

 **"What do you want with us?"**

Gale opened his eyes and kept his gaze on the witch before him. It was easy to tell that Zane had history with her. _'What could she possibly be planning? She brought me here in order to draw in Rosella. Zane was brought here so he could be replaced by an imposter. Why was she wanting someone to infiltrate Red Fountain? And who exactly is the impersonator? I get the feeling that Zane was brought here for another reason.'_

 **"You don't remember Zane."** Splendora said, rubbing the side of his face. **"After all, we have met before."**

 **"What are you planning witch?"** Gale asked.

For a moment, Zane turned his attention to Gale. _'Be careful Gale.'_

Splendora laughed a little and looked over at Gale. **"If you're going to be rude, at least learn my name first boy. I am Splendora, witch of nightmares. It's simple really my friend. I want what belongs to me. The horn of the unicorns is believed to possess extraordinary power. And that is just with one horn. Imagine how much power would be contained in two or ten perhaps. How about a hundred horns? Unimaginable power that could possibly rival that of the dragonflame."**

 **"That's not possible."** Zane said. **"The dragonflame isn't to be trifled with. Even with all the horns you've collected, you couldn't match its power."**

Splendora turned her attention back to Zane and smirked. **"And that shows just how much you know. It's true, the combined power of the horns I have thus far wouldn't stand a chance against the flame. They are not pure enough to do anything. There exists only one horn that is truly pure. By combining the purity of the one, the others will become pure as well. I will become the most powerful being of all magical history."**

 _'That must be why she's after Rosella.'_ Gale thought. _'She has the pure horn. Splendora is willing to sacrifice everything to obtain that power. It is believed that the great dragon created the entire magic dimension. I've heard all the stories about what that power is capable of. Could this witch be right about the horn being more powerful? No, it can't be true. Although, I do believe that it would come close.'_

 **"You will fail Splendora."** Zane said. **"Haven't you figured it out by now? Evil never wins. Try as hard as you like, but you won't get what you want. I'm not going to let you enslave the magic dimension. That's what you're planning isn't it. You want to use that power to take control."**

Splendora glared and scratched Zane across the face. **"That's where you're wrong little boy. Unlike all those that have come before, I will get what I want."**

Zane winced as blood trickled down his face. **"Even if you get the horn, you won't be able to use its power. Only good hearts can wield that light."**

 **"Leave Rosella alone."** Gale said, struggling to break free. **"You will be stopped."**

 **"Once again you are correct Zane. I can not wield the power contained in the horn. That's where you come in my pet."**

 **"What are you talking about?"** Zane asked.

Splendora smirked, watching as Gale's bindings grew tighter. **"I wouldn't struggle little boy. The shadow threads will only grow tighter."** Turning to Zane, she chuckled a little. **"It's simple really. In order for me to use that power, I need a conduit and you are exactly the one I need. You've come in contact with the horn. Part of its power lies dormant within your body."**

 **"That's not going to happen."** Gale said, wincing a little. **"My friends will come and they will defeat you before your plan succeeds. And even if they can't, the winx will."**

 **"I've heard enough out of you."** Out of the shadows stepped Echo. **"Allow me to deal with this one my mistress."**

Splendora nodded and stood next to Zane, petting his head. **"Make him suffer Echo and make sure his little pixie can feel his pain."**

Echo smirked and walked up to Gale. **"You should learn to keep your mouth shut little boy."**

 **"I'm not afraid of you witch."** Gale said, glaring at Echo.

 _'Stay strong Gale.'_ Zane thought.

Echo smiled and kissed Gale. _'This boy won't know what hit him. He will make a perfect pawn.'_

Gale's eyes widened as he felt a strange magic flowing through his body. _'What's happening to me? What is this feeling?'_

With a smirk, Echo pulled away from Gale and placed a hand on the side of his face. **"You can feel it can't you? As we speak, a toxic kind of magic is flowing through your bloodstream. The pulsing you feel is the sound waves within the toxin. Now then, let me hear you scream."**

Gale cried out in pain and struggled even more, causing him to endear even more pain. He had never felt pain quite like this before. _'This witch must use sound wave magic. Catarina, please stay strong. I'll have to make sure to let her know just how much I love her.'_

 **"Leave him alone!"** Zane called out as shadow binds wrapped around his neck and became tighter.

 **"Be quiet my pet."** Splendora said.

 **Alfea**

 **"Let's get going Catarina."** Carmen said.

Catarina nodded and led the way to Faragonda's office. Upon reaching the door, she knocked and waited for a response. **"Miss Faragonda. It's Catarina and Carmen. May we talk to you."**

Within a few seconds, the door opened and the girls walked, taking a seat in front of the desk.

 **"I was wondering when you girls would come to see me."** Faragonda said.

Catarina looked down a little before speaking up. **"Which means that you know what happened?"**

Faragonda looked at Catarina and stood up, staring out the window. **"That's right Catarina and something must be done. We can't allow these witches to get away with their actions. That being said, I simply can't allow you girls to go after them."**

 **"You know how dangerous Splendora is."** Carmen said. **"We can't just sit around and do nothing."**

Catarina looked up at Carmen and fisted her hands a little. **"And what do you expect us to do Carmen? We don't even know where they are. Not to mention that in our current state, we wouldn't stand a chance."**

 **"I'm afraid that you are correct Catarina."** Faragonda said. **"Carmen, do not forget that there is still one of you that has yet to transform. Not to mention that you all are not yet a team. If you want to succeed, then you all must be able to work together."**

Carmen became quiet and sighed. **"I know that miss Faragonda. It's like Rosella doesn't even trust us. I've never seen someone so frightened before."**

Faragonda turned back to the girls and nodded. **"Rosella has every reason to be frightened. She has seen first hand what Splendora can do. Losing people she cares about is her biggest fear. However, she has became more open because of you girls. Your support has given her the strength to open up. It will take a lot more for her to gain the strength to fight back."**

 **"Rosella has had it rough."** Catarina said. **"I was thinking that if she talked to one of the Winx, she could be stronger."**

Faragonda smiled and took a seat at her desk. **"I couldn't agree with you more. However, most of the winx are quite busy right now. That being said, there is one that you could find in Magix. Seek out Flora and have Rosella talk to her. It may be just the thing she needs."**

" **Thank you miss Faragonda."** Carmen said, smiling a little. **"I'll go with Catarina to find Flora. Let's get going."**

Catarina nodded and followed behind Carmen to the door. _'If we work as a team, we will be able to save Gale and defeat that witch.'_

 **"Do not worry Catarina, Gale will be saved."** Faragonda said.

Catarina smiled and took off with Carmen to Magix City. Somehow, they would help Rosella and save Gale. This was the only thing on her mind at the moment and she couldn't wait to see the one she loved once more. _'Hold on a little longer Gale. We will be there soon enough.'_

 _~~~~~~Next Time~~~~~~_

 _The specialists locate Splendora's tower and have a look around the area. During this time, Carmen and Catarina head to Magix in order to find Flora. Meanwhile, Red Fountain is visited by a strange man. Will the fairies and specialists be able to save Gale? And who is this mysterious stranger? Find out next time on Scoutix Club_


	11. Red Fountain Falls

_~~~Previously~~~_

 _The specialists decide to check around the area for signs of Splendora's base. Meanwhile, Rachel storms off into the forest and Rosella is left to her thoughts. After a talk with Faragonda, Catarina and Carmen head to Magix City in order to find Flora. The girls hope that Flora can help Rosella overcome her fears and fight back. ~~~_

 **Red Fountain**

" **It's time that we head out."** Rexx said, as they all grabbed their gear.

Colton sighed, following Rexx on to the Owl. **"I got a feeling that this isn't going to end to well. It just feels as if something is wrong around here."**

Alex watched Rexx and Colton board before turning to Zane. **"Are you sure you don't want to come with us? We could use all the help we can get."**

Zane nodded and chuckled a little before speaking, **"I wouldn't want to get in the way. My skills are not quite as good as you guys. Besides, I want to be here in case something happens while your gone. Just try to be careful alright."**

Alex sighed and boarded the ship. **"Let's get out of here. Remember guys, recon only."**

Zane watched as the ship left and smirked once it was out of sight. His orders were to stay put at the school and take it down from the inside. **"Those fools don't even realize what's truly going on. I'll take down this pathetic school and then go after the unicorn."** _'All I have to do is set off the sound grenades Echo gave me and this place will be history.'_ Chuckling, he walked out to the training field. _'I just have to wait for Echo's signal.'_

 **Splendora's Base**

" **Echo, give our guests a little welcome present."** Splendora said smirking.

Echo smiled and walked out to the top of the tower. **"Let's see just what these boys can do. They won't know what hit them."**

" **Anyone see anything?"** Alex asked.

" **It's hard to see anything in this fog."** Rexx said.

Colton looked around and winced a little. **"I have this strange feeling that we're close. Being out here in the shadows does not sit well with me."**

" **Take it easy Colton. I just don't get why we're surrounded in red fog."** Alex said.

Echo watched as the ship got close and chuckled. 'How pathetic of them to get lost in Splendora's smoke. If they were outside, they would all fall victim to their nightmares. Time for these boys to come crashing down. Although, I must commend them on making it this far.' With a grin on her face, Echo sent sound waves flying at the ship.

"Whoa?!" Rexx called out. **"What just hit us?"**

Alex quickly took a look around and noticed Echo. **"We got company."**

" **It's Echo."** Colton said. **"She's attacking us with sound waves. Brace yourself."**

They all held on tight as more sound waves struck the ship, causing them to crash. The ship itself crashed right beside Splendora's tower. Echo chuckled as another round of sound waves struck the ship, creating a massive hold and letting the crimson smoke inside.

" **Is everyone alright?"** Alex asked before standing up.

Rexx winced in pain and slowly stood up. **"Man, I really don't like this witch."**

" **We have bigger problems to worry about."** Colton said, pointing towards the smoke. **"Don't breathe it in. It's crimson smoke or in other words, nightmare fog. The smoke makes your nightmares seem real. Stay strong and don't lose your courage. It's the only way to get through this."**

Alex growled a little and led the way out of the ship. **"We have to stop that witch. I know that we can defeat her."**

Rexx smirked and stood by Alex's side. **"She won't stand a chance."**

" **Come down and face us Echo."** Colton called out.

Echo chuckled and appeared in front of them in a cloud of dark smoke. **"Colton. I should have known that you would see through Splendora's magic. However, it won't save you from me."**

" **Stop talking and fight us witch."** Alex said, forming his ice bow and firing an arrow at Echo.

Echo smirked and blew the arrow away with her sound waves. **"It will take more than that little boy."** Chuckling, she disappeared and reappeared behind Alex. **"You shouldn't waste your time with arrows. Sound cage."** Within an instant, Alex was surrounded by a cage made of sound waves. He would find himself falling to his knees in pain.

" **Don't underestimate us witch."** Rexx said, glaring at her. **"It's my turn. Inferno chakram, blazing heat."** He threw his chakram at her, only to have her block it with a sound shield.

Echo smiled a little as shadow threads wrapped around Rexx and Alex. **"You are now my prisoners. I hope you like being slaves to my mistress."**

Colton watched as his friends were captured, with a frightened look upon his face. **"Let them go Echo. Light javelin, blinding ray."**

Within an instant, a ray of light struck Echo and caused her to laugh. **"You don't have the strength to defeat me. You're just a weak little boy that needs protecting."** With a smirk, she caught Colton in shadow threads. **"Nothing can save you now."** Chuckling, she dragged them to the dungeon and let the shadow threads hold them in mid air. Once they were secured, she walked back to the throne room. **"They have all been captured mistress."**

Splendora smiled and turned her shadow orb to Red Fountain. **"Excellent. Have Rave proceed with his part. It's time for Red Fountain to fall and then we will go after that pesky fairy."**

 **Red Fountain**

Rave smirked as he got word to begin the attack. **"Time for some fun. I'll set off a few to get their attention."** With a swift movement of his hand, he caused an explosion in the training field. **"Now to watch them scramble."**

Within a instant, dozens of students came running out to see what all the commotion was. Rave quickly hid among them and pretended to be in shock. No one would know that he was the one that caused the damage.

 _'Something's not right about all of this.'_ Helia thought.

" **What are you thinking Helia?"** Saladin asked.

" **I'm not sure exactly, but I don't think this was just a coincidence."**

Saladin nodded and stared out the window at the training field. **"You'll figure it out. Do what you think is right. It must be your decision Helia. This is why you are headmaster now. I can advise you, but in the end, the decision must be yours."**

" **We need to get everyone out of here."** Helia said. **"I have this feeling that it's not over yet."**

 _'Now to really cause an uproar.'_ Rave thought, setting off the rest of the bombs.

" **He's the one doing this."** Helia said, running outside and taking notice to Rave.

Saladin followed after Helia and turned his attention to Rave. **"That's Zane or at least that's what he wants us to believe. There's something off about him, but we need to focus on getting everyone to safety."**

Within seconds, ships began leaving Red Fountain and heading towards Alfea. Upon landing, the boys were led into the main hall and awaited further instruction. None of them had expected an attack on their school and not prepared for one. All anyone could see was the smoke coming from the place where their school once stood.

Rave smiled as he looked back at the destruction he caused. **"This place won't be back on its feet anytime soon. So long Red Fountain."**

" **So it was you."** Helia said. **"Zane, if that's your real name."**

Rave chuckled and turned his attention to Helia. **"If it isn't the headmaster himself. Shouldn't you be with your students right now? They must be scared out of their minds."**

" **What was the purpose of all this destruction?"** Helia asked.

Rave smirked and started walking away. **"Wouldn't you like to know."**

" **Hold on."** Helia said, using his laser glove to bind Rave. **"I want answers."**

Rave struggled against the bindings and glared a little. **"As if I would ever tell you anything. You are right about one thing though."** With that, he used his shadow sais to cut himself free. **"I'm not Zane."** Within an instant, his entire appearance changed. **"You can call me Rave. And there's just one more thing. You're missing a few students headmaster."** Chuckling, he disappeared into the shadows.

 **Alfea**

Faragonda watched as the ships arrived from her office and looked down. **"Who could have possibly done such a thing? And what do they have to gain from all of this?"**

" **Headmistress."** Griselda said. **"The boys have all gathered in the main hall."**

" **Yes, I know. We need to find out if anyone is missing."**

Faragonda and Griselda made their way into the main hall, looking around at everyone. All the headmistress could think about was who caused such devastation. Sighing, she faced forward and cleared her throat.

" **I realize that this has been hard on all of you. That being said, you can't let this attack get to you. Everyone must remain calm and vigilant until we know for sure who caused it. Take this time to gather your thoughts."**

 **Splendora's Base**

" **Echo."** Splendora said.

In a cloud of dark purple smoke, Echo appeared in front of Splendora. **"Yes my mistress."**

" **I want you to go to gloomy wood forest and stir up some trouble. It will surely draw out those pathetic fairies. And while you're at it, take care of that headmaster."**

Within an instant, Echo was gone from sight and heading straight for gloomy wood. _'This will be a piece of cake. Those fools won't know what hit them.'_

" **We have to get out of here."** Alex said, struggling against his bindings.

Gale sighed and looked down a little. **"Remain calm Alex. Struggling does no good here. However, you are right. We have to get free and warn people. Zane, isn't there anything we can do?"**

" **Echo's magic is very powerful."** Zane said. **"Getting out of here would be near impossible."**

Colton looked down and sighed. **"Even if we do get out of these shadow binds, how are we going to get to Alfea? Don't forget that the Owl was shot down and most likely everything inside was destroyed in the blast."**

" **I can take care of transportation."** Zane said. **"We just have to get out of here first."**

Alex growled a little before a look of shock came over his face. **"That's it. Colton, you can use your light javelin to break these binds."**

" **That's right. The light from the javelin would negate the effects of this shadow magic."** Gale said.

" **I'll try, but I can't promise anything. I haven't had much practice with summoning it."** Colton closed his eyes and concentrated. _'Please Revia, give me the strength to bring forth this weapon.'_ After a few seconds of waiting, the javelin appeared in Colton's hand. **"It worked. Now to get free."** He gripped his weapon tightly and slashed at his shadow binds, releasing him.

" **You did it Colton."** Rexx said smiling. **"Now get us down."**

Colton nodded and used his javelin to free the other specialists. **"You guys need to find your weapons."**

" **Colton. You go on ahead to Alfea. We'll catch up with you."** Alex said.

Zane stretched out and rubbed his shoulder. **"I'm sorry, but I don't have what I need to send you back. It looks like you will have to walk there."**

" **If you check the ship, there is a chance that you might find a working wind rider."** Gale said. **"Get going alright. We can't afford to waste anymore time here."**

Colton nodded and jumped out a nearby window, landing beside the ship. _'Please let me find something.'_ Without hesitation, he ran inside and was lucky enough to find one wind rider intact. _'Hold on everyone, I'm on my way.'_ Before long, he was flying off towards Alfea.

" **So, the boys have managed to get free."** Splendora said smirking. **"And one of them has actually managed to leave the tower. Another pest from Revia. Too bad he's too weak to do anything. I'll just send a few nightmare creatures after him and into Magix City."** Chuckling, she summoned a few nightmare spiders and bats. **"Now go my pets. Destroy Magix and that pesky specialist."**

 **Gloomy Woods**

Echo appeared in the woods and smirked upon seeing the pixie village. _'With my spells, I can easily break their pathetic barrier.'_ Within seconds, she cast a dark sound spell and brought the barrier down. **"Come out and play pixies."**

" **Ninfea!"** Lockette called out, flying towards her. **"The barrier has been destroyed."**

Ninfea nodded and looked over towards Echo. **"We have to get everyone out of here. Livy, go to Alfea and get help. Hurry."**

" **I'll be back in no time Ninfea."** Livy said, taking off on her surfboard. A few seconds later, she returned and was confused. **"What was that again?"**

Chatta sighed and yelled at Livy. **"JUST GET TO ALFEA AND GET HELP!"**

" **Let me write that down."** Livy said and took off once more. **"I have to hurry."**

Echo chuckled and watched as the pixies scattered. **"That's it you little pests, scatter like the scared weaklings you are."**

" **That's enough."** Ninfea said as the pixies used their magic against Echo.

Echo smirked as her hands started to glow a deep purple. **"How pathetic. Let me show you what real magic is. Sonic bolt."** She couldn't help but laugh as each blast grew larger upon contact, causing the pixies to fall to the ground. **"You don't stand a chance against me."**

 **Alfea**

" **Faragonda!"** Livy called out as she flew through the main hall to miss Faragonda.

Faragonda smiled as Livy arrived and tried to calm her down. **"Take it easy Livy. What's the rush for?"**

" **Trouble."** Livy said. **"Pixie village is under attack. The others need help."**

Faragonda nodded and turned towards Griselda. **"We have to act now. Gather together anyone that can help."**

Rachel and few other girls appeared in front of Faragonda. **"We're ready."**

" **Hurry to pixie village before it's too late."** Faragonda said.

With that, the fairies ran out the door towards the pixie village. Rachel was about to take off when Rosella appeared in the hall. Rosella was a little nervous and scared, but she knew that she had to do something.

" **I want to help as well."** Rosella said.

Rachel looked over at Rosella and glared a little. **"And what exactly do you plan to do? You can't even transform. You'll only get in the way."** Sighing, she placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder. **"I'm sorry Rosella, but what good could you be without magic? This could possibly be a trap to capture you. You said that Splendora was after you. I'm sorry, but you can't come. It's too dangerous for a fairy like you."** Within seconds, Rachel took off towards the village.

Rosella looked down and walked out to the fountain, staring into the water. **"She's right, I can't do anything."**

 **Magix City**

Catarina and Carmen got off the bus and looked around. Neither one of them had any idea where to start their search for Flora. Sighing, they sat down and started to think. The city was busy as usual and finding someone would be difficult.

" **There has to be some place where we can begin our search."** Carmen said.

Catarina nodded and stood up. **"Someone around here must know where Flora is. Let's just ask someone."**

At that moment, a elderly woman started walking past them. The woman stopped and took a seat on the bench. **"It's such a beautiful day isn't it girls. You're both so young. I wish that I could be as young as you again."**

" **It sure is ma'am and thank you."** Carmen said.

Catarina smiled and nodded. **"You're right, it is a beautiful day. Not a single cloud in the sky. You couldn't be any older than twenty ma'am."**

The woman chuckled and smiled. **"You are too kind miss. I feel so young again. Thank you for that. Is there anything I can do for you?"**

" **Actually, there is something that we would like to ask you."** Carmen said.

Catarina nodded and sat back down. **"We were hoping that could tell us where we might find Flora. You see, we want to ask her to talk to a friend of ours."**

" **Flora."** The old woman said. **"Hmmm...Flora...Flora...Flora..."** She started to get in lost in her thoughts before snapping back to reality. **"Oh that's right. You mean the flower girl from the winx. I believe that she owns a flower shop down the road. Yes, she's usually there around this time."**

Catarina and Carmen stood up, thanking the woman for her help. Now all they had to do was get to this flower shop and find Flora. Hopefully, the woman was right and she was there.

" **Thank you so much ma'am."** Catarina said, before taking off with Carmen to the flower shop.

" **Could this be the place?"** Carmen asked.

Catarina looked through the window and took notice to Flora. **"This is the place alright. There she is."**

Carmen smiled as they both walked through the door. **"Whoa. Everything is so beautiful in here."**

" **Thank you. Everyone around here is highly skilled when it comes to taking care of these flowers."** Flora said smiling. **"Was there something in particular you were looking for?"**

Catarina nodded and turned her attention to Flora. **"Not exactly. We were wondering if you could talk to a friend of ours."**

" **We thought that if someone from the famous winx talked to her, she might feel better about using her magic."** Carmen said.

Flora nodded and smiled. **"I would love to girls, but I can't just leave the flowers unattended."**

" **Isn't there someone who can watch over things while you're gone?"** Carmen asked.

Flora shook her head as an explosion occurred in front of the door. **"What's going on?"**

" **I'm not sure, but it can't be good."** Catarina said. **"Carmen, let's transform."**

Carmen nodded and crossed her fingers. **"Charmix!"**

Within an instant both Carmen and Catarina had transformed, ready for battle. Running out the door, they came face to face with nightmare spiders. One of the spiders was about to attack Catarina from behind, only to have Carmen push her out of the way.

" **Let's show these spiders who they are messing with."** Carmen said. **"Carmen, fairy of volcanoes."**

Catarina nodded as they flew up into the air. **"Catarina, fairy of aura. You'll regret messing with us. Aura blast."** She watched as a purple orb of energy destroyed one of the spiders.

" **It's my turn now."** Carmen said. **"Lava beam."** A stream of lava took out two more spiders, but they just kept coming.

For every spider they took down, two more popped up. For the moment, everything seemed hopeless. Both Catarina and Carmen were growing tired of fighting. Just when it felt like the end, the girls took notice to Flora behind them.

" **Let me take care of this girl."** Flora said as they nodded and moved back. **"Magic winx! Bloomix!"** Within seconds, Flora had transformed and flew up into the air. **"It's time to put an end to all this. Lilac vortex."** Within an instant, a multi-colored beam of energy struck the spiders. **"We have to work together to defeat them all."** Catarina and Carmen nodded, flying up beside Flora.

" **Aura shot."** Catarina said as beam of purple energy took down a few more spiders. **"We almost got them all."**

Carmen smiled as the spiders were taken down and formed a red shield around them. **"Let's see how they handle this. Lava attack shield."** Smirking, she watched as the spiders tried to break through her shield. **"That won't work."** Within seconds, orbs of lava struck the spiders around them.

" **That was great."** Flora said smiling. **"Now then, let's take care of the rest of them. All together now. Chlorophyll bolts."** A pink and green beam shot out at the remaining spiders.

Catarina gave Carmen a high five and prepared for her final attack. **"Aura spike."** In an instant, a spike of lilac energy shot out beside the chlorophyll bolts.

" **Take this."** Carmen said. **"Magma vortex."** Suddenly, a vortex of magma joined the other attacks and took down the remaining spiders. **"It's finally over. We make a great team."**

The girls reverted back to their casual forms and took a look around them. By the looks of it, there was no indication as to where the spiders came from. They walked back into the flower shop and sat down, wondering what to do next.

" **Like I said girls,"** Flora began. **"I would love to talk to your friend, but there's just so much to do around the shop. I can't even leave until the owner gets back."**

Carmen sighed and looked up when Flora mentioned the owner. **"I'm starting to think that old woman was confused."**

" **What do you mean?"** Flora asked.

" **Well, we wasn't sure where to look for you."** Catarina said. **"We asked this old woman and she said that you owned this place. She must have gotten mixed up."**

They all chuckled as the door to the shop opened up and the owner walked in. **"Thank you so much for looking after the flowers Flora. I knew they would be in good hands with you around. Oh my, what happened outside? There's spider webs all over the place."**

" **No problem Shayna."** Flora said smiling. **"I was happy to take care of these wonderful plants. And don't worry about what happened outside. Everything has been taken care of. I must go now. I promised these girls that I would talk with their friend."**

Shayna smiled and nodded. **"You are a saint Flora. I can handle things from here. Run along now."**

" **I almost forgot."** Flora said. **"I never did get your names."**

Catarina smiled and scratched her head a little. **"With everything that's been going on, it's easy to forget things. My name is Catarina."**

" **And I'm Carmen."**

Flora nodded and walked with the girls to the bus stop. **"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Now then, tell me about this friend of yours. You two actually caught me at a good time. I was planning on going to Alfea to take care of the greenhouse."**

" **It's a long story."** Catarina said.

Carmen sighed as they got on the bus back to Alfea. **"I just hope that nothing has happened since we left."**

" **It's alright girls."** Flora said. **"You can tell me everything on the way back."**

 _~~~Next Time_

 _Red Fountain has been destroyed by Rave, disguised as Zane. After taking on Helia, he disappeared and has yet to make another appearance. The specialists are now free and must escape from Splendora's tower. The pixies cower before Echo as they await help from the Alfea fairies. Catarina and Carmen have found Flora and are on their way back to Alfea. During this time, Colton is being followed by nightmare bats. Will Rosella be able to overcome her fears and fight against the witches once she talks to Flora? Where is Helia during all this commotion? Find out next time on Scoutix Club ~~~_


	12. Unicorn Charmix

_~~~Previously~~~_

 _Pixie Village has been attacked by Echo, the witch of sound waves. After finding Flora in Magix, Catarina and Carmen battle against Splendora's nightmare spiders. The specialists became prisoners in Splendora's tower and thanks to Colton, managed to get free. This allowed for Colton to escape the tower and head off to warn Alfea. After destroying Red Fountain, Rave's secret has been discovered. This new discovery caused a battle between Rave and Helia, leaving Rave the victor.~~~_

 **Pixie Village**

The fairies arrived in Pixie Village, only to find it in ruins. Someone had destroyed the buildings and scared off the pixies. Rachel looked around for any sign of the witch, but was not able to see anyone. As the others searched for the pixies, Rachel continued to look for the one behind this destruction.

"I know you're here witch. Show yourself." Rachel said.

Echo chuckled and stepped out of the shadows. "Aren't you the perceptive one. The other fairies didn't even know I was there until it was too late."

Rachel glared and quickly transformed, "Rachel, fairy of gemstones. I won't let you get away with this. Crystal Blast!" Within seconds, crystals flew towards Echo.

"Is that all you can do?" Echo asked, dodging the attack. "I am the witch of sound waves. You can't defeat me with weak attacks like that. It's my turn now, Sound Cage." The witch laughed as a cage formed around Rachel. "My mistress has had her eyes on you fairy."

Rachel winced in pain a little and prepared for another attack. "Crystal Bolt." Small crystals struck the sound bars, only to be bounced back at her. Dropping to her knees, she could only stare at Echo.

"Weak fairy." Chuckling, Echo moved closer to Rachel and smirked. "You never stood a chance against me." Within an instant, Rachel disappeared with the cage. "Now to deal with that headmaster."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

 _'Alfea isn't too far from here.'_ Helia thought, walking around the edge of the lake. _'Still, something doesn't feel right about this.'_

Echo appeared in the shadows near Helia and smiled a little. _'This should be fun.'_ "Sonic bolt."

Helia attempted to block the attack, only to be knocked back when the bolt expanded. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

Chuckling, Echo stepped out of the shadows and smirked. "You won't live long enough to remember me at all. Then again, I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you my name. It's not like you could tell anyone. The name's Echo sweetheart. Just so you know, your little weapons won't work on me. It's the exact reason I was sent after you in the first place. It's a shame that I have to kill you. Sonic Echo."

Helia cried out in pain as he took the attack at full force, before a blinding light stopped it all together. When the light died down, a golden javelin came into view. Echo growled a little and took notice to Colton. Within seconds, he was standing beside is javelin and glaring at the witch.

"Are you alright headmaster?"

Helia slowly regained his stance and nodded. "I will be fine. It's a good thing you showed up when you did."

"Colton. I don't know you escaped, but you won't get away this time." Echo said, smirking.

Colton grabbed a hold of his javelin and stood ready for the next attack. "This witch isn't the only thing we have to worry about. Nightmare bats were following right behind me. They should arrive any minute now." Before he could say another, he winced and dropped to one knee. _'I'm still weak from being in that tower, but I have to fight back.'_

'This is bad. Neither one of us have the strength to fight.' Helia thought.

 **Splendora's Tower**

Splendora sat upon her throne and watched as the cage trapping Rachel appeared. Smirking, she walked over to the cage and stared at the weak fairy. "Wake up little fairy."

Rachel slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Splendora, glaring. "What do you want with me?"

"You work for me now."

Rachel growled a little and slowly stood up. "I will never take orders from you."

Splendora chuckled and smiled a little, as a crimson choker appeared around Rachel's neck. "You don't have a choice little fairy. That choker is fused with nightmare magic. It will force you to obey my orders and I'm the only one that can remove it."

Rachel continued to glare at Splendora, before feeling a sharp pain throughout her entire body. "What are your orders mistress?"

Within an instant, the cage disappeared and Rachel's full strength was restored. "There are rats in my tower. I want you to exterminate them."

Without hesitation, Rachel nodded and flew down the hallway. _'There has to be a way to fight this. I can't control my actions and attacking Splendora would be pointless. Then again, what if she's right? It's possible that she truly is the only one that can remove this choker.'_ Taking notice to the specialists, she smirked and landed in front of them.

"Rachel." Gale said. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel remained silent and stared at Gale. "I thought that you could use some help."

Zane narrowed his eyes at Rachel and took a step forward. "Get away from her. She's under a spell."

Rachel chuckled as a dark blue aura formed around her. "Aren't you the smart one. You won't be leaving here alive. Crystal Blast."

Gale cried out in pain as crystals struck him and quickly pulled out his tonfa. "Don't make me hurt you Rachel."

"You can't hurt me Gale. I'm stronger than you. Crystal Bolt."

Alex pulled out his bow and fired off an ice arrow in front of Gale, creating an ice shield. "At least our weapons appear when we need them. We have no choice but to fight her."

Zane nodded as his thunder whip appeared. "I don't want to hurt you, but you leave me no choice." Within seconds, he cracked the whip and attempted to strike Rachel. "My thunder whip can't be stopped that easily."

"Crystal Reflection." Within an instant, crystals bounced off whip and directly towards the specialists. "Do not underestimate me." Before she could say another word, she cried out in pain and fell to her knees. "You actually managed to hit me. I'm quite impressed."

Rexx slowly made his way over to Rachel, wincing in pain as he did so. Looking at his side, he took notice to a crystal shard and blood. "Rachel. This isn't you. I know that you don't want to hurt us. You have to fight it."

"Pathetic." Rachel said, chuckling and forming a crystal shard. "You can be the first to die." Without hesitation, she used the shard to stab Rexx in the stomach.

Rexx winced in pain and coughed up blood. "Ra...chel..."

"That's enough." Gale said, creating a wind blast to send Rachel flying into the wall and knocking her unconscious. "Rachel will be fine. We have to get Rexx out of here. Hang in there buddy." He then quickly wrapped the wounds and helped Rexx up off the floor.

Alex looked over at Rachel and sighed. "I don't get it. Why were we able to summon our weapons just now?"

"You have a point." Zane said, helping Gale with Rexx. "Colton was able to summon his javelin with ease."

Gale nodded as Rexx fell unconscious. "There must have been something in that dungeon that kept us from summoning them. Colton is from Revia, so I guess his light magic wasn't affected by it. That's the only explanation I can come up with."

"That is quite possible." Alex said. "Right now, getting Rexx medical attention is our main priority. Zane, you said that you had a way out of here."

Zane pulled out a dark purple stone and used thunder magic in order to cause it to hover in mid-air. "Now that we're out of that cell, I can use this stone to get us out of this tower."

"What about Rachel?" Gale asked.

Zane glanced over at Rachel and looked down a little. "There's nothing we can do for her right now. We need to come up with a plan. It's time for us to get out of here." All of a sudden, a bright light filled the area around them. Once it disappeared, the specialists were gone without a trace.

 **Alfea**

The bus pulled up to the entrance of Alfea, letting off Catarina, Carmen, and Flora. Once the bus was gone, the three fairies made their way into the quad.

"I'm certain that Rosella is around here somewhere." Catarina said.

Carmen nodded and looked around, taking notice to Rosella. "There she is. I just hope that she's up for talking."

"She may not have a choice at this point." Flora said. "Just leave everything to me. You should go rest up. We will all need our strength for the upcoming battle." She then smiled and made her way over to Rosella. "Are you alright sweety?"

Rosella glanced up at Flora and then quickly looked away. "You're Flora from the Winx. What are you doing here?"

Flora took a seat beside Rosella, "Your friends came to me. They thought that you could use my help. Would you like to talk?"

"I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"Headmistress." Griselda said. "Carmen and Catarina have returned."

Faragonda nodded, staring down at her desk. "And what of the fairies that went to Pixie Village?"

"Rachel has disappeared and the others are in comas."

Faragonda stood up and sighed. "There's a battle coming our way. So far, Cloud Tower has yet to be affected by it. We have to do something before then. If things continue like this, we will have no choice but to send the students home. It won't be safe here."

"Headmistress. No one has heard from Helia and there are still students missing from Red Fountain."

"I know Griselda. We have to hope for the best right now."

"I know that you are from Revia." Flora said. "It must have been frightening for you."

Rosella looked down and sighed. "Everyone I cared about is gone and there's nothing that will bring them back."

"You've been through a lot of pain, but there are people that want to help you Rosella. Your friends are a great example. And you already know that you're not the only survivor."

"I'm afraid." Rosella said, staring up at the sky. "The thought of losing those close to me is frightening. What if I'm not strong enough to protect anyone? I've never once tried to transform because of that fear."

Flora placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder and smiled. "It's alright to be afraid. Everyone has times when they doubt themselves. The important thing is that you try. And if you don't overcome your fear, you will always be running."

"I've seen first hand what that witch can do. I never could get close to people because I was afraid of them getting hurt."

"Rosella. You have the power within you to stop her. All you need to do is believe in yourself."

"That's just it Flora. I'm not sure if I can."

"I know just how you feel. There were times when I didn't believe in myself either. The one thing I could count on, was that my friends were there to lend a hand. I believed in them and they believed in me. People will get hurt if you just sit back and do nothing. You're power can save people."

Rosella glanced over at Flora and smiled. "I guess that it wouldn't hurt for me to try."

"That's the spirit." Flora said, smiling. "Now then, let's go see your friends."

Rosella nodded as they stood up and walked over to where Catarina and Carmen were.

"How are you feeling Rosella?" Catarina asked.

Rosella smiled, "I feel a lot better now."

"What happened here Rosella?" Carmen asked. "I noticed the Red Fountain ships when we got back."

"Red Fountain was destroyed and everyone has fled here, but a few of the guys are missing. I'm sure you can figure out who. Pixie Village was also attacked. So far, all the girls that came back are in a coma. Rachel was among them, but she's missing as well."

The girls gasped and looked down. Catarina was the first to speak up. "Do you think that something terrible happened to Rachel?"

"Rachel is tough Catarina." Carmen said. "She can take of herself. I'm sure that she's fine."

Flora looked over at Rosella, "You said that Red Fountain was destroyed. Has anyone seen Helia?"

"I'm sorry Flora." Rosella said. "He's missing as well."

Flora looked down, a deep sadness coming over her. "I see. Has anyone gone looking for the missing people?"

"With everything that's going on, it's too dangerous to send anyone."

Before anyone could say another word, there was a bright flash of light. Once the light faded, everyone could see the specialists. Catarina smiled upon seeing Gale and ran up to him. Carmen, Rosella, and Flora followed behind Catarina and smiled, before noticing Rexx.

"Gale." Catarina said, hugging him. "I'm so happy you're alright. I was worried about you."

A look of fear came over Carmen's face as she looked at Rexx. "What happened to Rexx?"

"It's great to see you again Catarina." Gale said smiling. "Rexx got hurt. He needs medical attention. I did manage to stop the bleeding."

Alex looked to Rosella and smiled. "I'm so glad that you're safe. Rachel attacked us."

"Why would she do something like that?" Rosella asked.

Zane stayed silent as the others spoke until Rosella spoke up. "She's under a spell and you're the only one that can help her."

"Which is why the seven of you are going to search." Faragonda said.

Flora looked at the sound of Faragonda's voice. "Miss Faragonda."

"Rexx will get the medical attention he needs." Faragonda said. "In the meantime, there are still others missing. It's up to you to find them before it's too late."

Catarina nodded and looked to the entrance. "We're on it miss Faragonda. Let's go everyone."

"Do be careful everyone." Faragonda said, as Rexx was taken to the medical wing and everyone else left.

 **Lake Roccaluce**

"Looks like your luck just ran out." Echo said, chuckling. "It wouldn't take much to kill you, but what's the fun in that?"

Colton glared before taking notice to the nightmare bats. "We have to get out of here."

"I agree, but we barely have the strength to stand." Helia said. "There's no chance of us being able to run and we're outnumbered."

Colton looked around, trying to figure out something they could do. "I might be able to keep those things at bay." At that moment, his javelin began to glow and create an orb of light around them. After a few seconds, the orb started to fade. "I don't have the strength to keep this up for very long."

"Give it up already." Echo said. "You can't win and no one can save you."

"Magic Charmix!"

"Catarina, fairy of aura."

"Carmen, fairy of volcanoes."

"Magic Winx! Bloomix! Flora, fairy of nature."

"That's where you're wrong Echo." Zane said, using his whip to take down a nearby bat.

Echo growled upon seeing the fairies and specialists. "Do you think that this will change things? You don't have the power to defeat me."

"Aura Blast!" Within an instant, an orb of purple energy struck Echo. "You were saying witch."

"That a girl Catarina." Carmen said.

Echo chuckled as she stood up and smirked. "Not bad, but you'll have to do better than that."

Carmen growled as energy formed in her hands. "Take this. Lava Beam."

Echo stood still as the lava came at her and yawned. "What was that? How pathetic."

"Nothing we do seems to phase her at all." Catarina said.

Flora landed beside Helia and hugged. "Helia. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine now that you're here." Helia said. "Right now we have to take care of these creatures."

Alex and Gale stood back to back, taking down bats. "There's no end to them." Before Alex could say another word, he fired off a few more ice arrows.

"We have to keep fighting Alex." Gale said, taking down a few more bats with a gust of wind.

Colton slowly stood up and faced Echo. "Let's continue where we left off Echo."

"Colton, you're too weak to fight her." Helia said. "Stand down."

Colton used his javelin to stand and winced in pain. "I can't stand around and do nothing."

"Colton. You can't even stand up." Flora said. "Let me deal with her."

Colton nodded and took a seat on the ground. _'I'm so weak.'_

"Be careful Flora." Helia said.

Echo smirked and turned her attention to Flora. "You have to be kidding me. So, you're big plan is to send a flower girl after me. How pathetic."

"Spring Shower." Flora watched as the multi-colored spiral struck Echo.

Echo chuckled and stood back up. "That actually hurt, but it's not enough to stop me. Sonic Bolt." Upon striking Flora, the bolt expanded and knocked her back. Echo smirked and turned her attention to Rosella. "My mistress will be pleased to see you Rosella."

"You're not going to touch her." Catarina said. "Aura Shot." At that moment, a beam of purple energy shot out at Echo.

Carmen flew up beside Catarina and prepared another attack. "And now it's my turn. Magma Vortex." Swirling around the energy beam was a vortex of magma. "That should take care of her."

"I wouldn't say that." Echo said, wincing a little. "I'm not finished yet. Sonic Echo."

The girls cried out in pain as they hit the ground, losing their transformations. Flora slowly sat up and looked around. As for the specialists, they were still taking down bats.

Alex cried out in pain as a bat sent him flying across the ground. _'Everyone is getting weaker by the minute. We can't keep this up for much longer.'_

"We can't give up." Zane said, destroying more bats. "If we stop now she wins."

Rosella could only watch as her friends got hurt. _'What should I do? I'm not strong enough to help them. If I don't, they will all die.'_

"Rosella." Catarina said. "I know that you're scared, but we need you. You can handle this."

Echo chuckled and shot Catarina with a sonic bolt. "Rosella can't do anything to stop me. She's just a weak little girl."

Rosella leaned back against a nearby tree and closed her eyes. _'I can't do anything. I'm so afraid.'_

"Listen to me Rosella." Alex said. "You're stronger than you realize. We believe in you. I believe in you. Isn't that enough?"

Gale cried out in pain as he was struck by a bat and knocked into a tree, falling unconscious.

"You all are finished." Echo said. "Watch Rosella as your friends die." She snickered a little as she prepared for another attack.

 _'They are all counting on me. I'm the only one that can help. Flora was right. I have to believe in myself.'_ Rosella thought. "Leave them alone." Without hesitation, she ran and stood in front of Echo.

"If my mistress didn't have use for you, I would destroy you right now." Echo said. "Now move."

Rosella glared and stood her ground. "I won't let you hurt them anymore. Magic Charmix! Rosella, fairy of unicorns" Before she knew it, a bright light engulfed her. When the light faded, there she stood as a fairy. "I did it. I transformed. You have to deal with me now Echo."

"You have no idea what you're doing." Echo said. "Sonic Bolt."

Rosella remained where she was and took the attack full force. "I'm not afraid of you Echo." She winced a little and flew up into the air. "I'm going to show you exactly what I can do. Light Arrow." Within an instant, an arrow of light flew towards Echo.

Echo cried out in pain and growled a little. "You'll pay for that fairy."

"Get lost Echo." Zane said, striking her with his whip.

Echo winced and glared at Zane. "This is far from over. You may have won this battle, but the war has just begun." Chuckling, she disappeared into a cloud of dark smoke.

"That was amazing Rosella." Carmen said, hugging her.

Catarina smiled and nodded. "You found your strength. I know that things have been hard for you, but we will always be right by your side."

"Thank you for helping me." Rosella said smiling. "We should get back to Alfea and regain our strength."

Catarina nodded and walked over to Gale. "Come on Gale, get up." No matter what she did, Catarina could not get Gale to respond to her. "He's not responding. His aura is very weak."

"Maybe there's something I can do." Rosella said, kneeling down beside Gale. "Let's give it a try. Healing Light." Instantly, her hands began to glow and wrapped Gale in a soft light. "There. That should take care of that."

Gale slowly opened his eyes and looked at Catarina. "Hey. What happened?"

"We won." Catarina said, smiling.

Alex jumped up and walked over to Rosella. "You did great. I knew that you could handle yourself."

"This is nice and all, but staying here would be reckless." Zane said. "It's not safe to be out in the open."

Colton nodded and slowly regained his balance. "He's right. We can't stay here. That witch could return at any moment. It's better if we regroup back at Alfea."

"Who is that?" Helia asked, helping Flora to her feet.

Gale stood up as everyone gathered around each other, except for Zane. "That's Zane. The real one."

 **Alfea**

Zane sighed and started walking towards the entrance of Alfea. As they walked across the quad, they were met by Faragonda, Griselda and Saladin. It had been a long and tough battle, but they managed to get through it.

"I am so glad that you all are alright." Faragonda said. "Any signs of Rachel?"

The girls shook their heads and looked down. Catarina sighed and looked up, "There was no sign of her."

"Let's talk in my office." Faragonda said, leading the way there. "Now then, what do you know thus far?"

Rexx awoke in the infirmary and slowly sat up. "How did I get here?"

"Miss Faragonda." Carmen said. "Can you please tell me how Rexx is doing."

Faragonda smiled and nodded. "Rexx is doing fine Carmen. He just needs to rest now."

"You don't have to worry about him." Saladin said. "Now then, what have you all found out?"

Gale grabbed a hold of his arm and looked down a little. _'Where do I even begin?'_

"Gale." Colton said. "You were the first to suspect something. What happened to you?"

Gale turned his attention to Colton and sighed. "I'm not quite sure really. It all happened so fast. I didn't even know that witch was there until it was too late. Echo is the reason I didn't answer you Catarina. You're right Colton, I did pick up on something. Just being around Zane, or whatever his name is, made me feel uneasy."

"They went after you because you were on to them." Zane said. "And when Catarina picked up on his aura, Echo used a spell to disguise it. They didn't want anyone to know of their plans."

Helia leaned up against the wall and listened as they spoke. "They're trying to tear us apart. It must be why he destroyed Red Fountain. We were lucky to be able to get out. His name is Rave. He's the one behind the destruction."

"Rave." Alex said. "Could it be possible?"

Rosella looked over at Alex and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you know him?"

"Rave is my twin brother." Alex said. "He disappeared a few years ago. We need to be careful around him."

Rexx slowly made his way up to Faragonda's office and smiled upon seeing Carmen. "Hey. What did I miss?"

"Rexx!" Carmen said, hugging him. "You should be resting."

"And miss out on all the excitement. No thanks."

'I don't get how he can move around.' Colton thought.

"If Rave is your brother, why is he working for Splendora?" Rosella asked.

Alex sighed and sat down. "Rave has always been a little jealous. He was upset that I kept growing stronger and he was left behind. And then one day, he just disappeared. It's possible that he's joined her in order to get revenge. I could always tell that there was a dark side within him. His mind is clouded with jealousy and hate. The thing you need to worry about is his shadow sais. He's been close this entire time and I didn't realize it."

"Maybe we can find a way to save him from himself." Rosella said.

Zane remained behind everyone, wanting to keep to himself. "Rachel is being controlled by Splendora."

"I see." Faragonda said. "You all need to become stronger in order to defeat these witches."

Zane closed his eyes in an attempt to block everything out. 'They have no idea what's coming for them.' "It's not that simple. Splendora can make your nightmares a reality. And you've already seen what Echo can do."

"Echo." Flora said. "None of our attacks seemed to work on her. She was even able to reverse our transformations."

Faragonda nodded and crossed her arms. "These new enemies will not be easy to defeat. They are powerful and only by working together can you defeat them."

"We're going to need Rachel." Rosella said.

Zane glanced over at Rosella and smirked. "You just don't get it. The only way to save your friend is by destroying the choker around her neck. And Splendora is the only one that can do that. At least, that's what she thinks. You have the ability to break the spell Rosella, but we can't risk you going to that tower."

"I know the risks." Rosella said. "That's why we need to get Rachel to leave it."

Alex looked over at Zane and glared a little. "That's not your decision to make Zane. You sure know a lot about what's going on. Why don't you start talking?"

"Apparently, I'm the only one that does." Zane said. "If Splendora captures Rosella, then it's all over. We won't be able to stop them after that. They will use any opportunity to get their hands on her."

Gale stepped in between Alex and Zane, trying to calm them down. "We won't get anywhere by arguing with each other. Zane, you don't know that for sure. There is always a way to win."

"Splendora wants my horn." Rosella said. "She can't just take it, can she?"

Zane started to calm down before turning his attention to Rosella. "You're right Rosella, she can't take your horn. In order for her to get it, you have to hand it over to her. And she will do all she can to force you to."

"Hold it." Rexx said. "I'm confused."

Alex looked down and shook his head a little. "Not the time Rexx."

"Splendora needs Rosella's horn to purify the others she collected." Zane said. "Their combined power would almost equal that of the dragonflame. And with it, she could easily take over. The thing is, she can't wield its power. A pure horn was meant to be used by those of the light."

Faragonda stood up and walked over to the window. "Unicorn horns hold powerful magic. The only way for Splendora to use it, is by using a conduit."

"That's one of the reasons she came after me." Zane said. "I've touched a pure horn before. Because of that, she can use me to gain its power. I believe that a portion of the horn's power transferred over to me."

Faragonda turned around and faced everyone. "I believe that is enough. You all should take this time to rest and regain your strength. You are going to need it."

 _~~~Next Time~~~_

 _Now that Rosella has the ability to transform, the fairies must find a way to save Rachel. Carmen and Rexx go on their first official date and is quickly interrupted. Meanwhile, Rosella trains with her new powers. Splendora has something planned for Alex and it can't be good. Rave is still nowhere to be found as everyone waits for their next battle. ~~~_


	13. Shredded Sacrifice

_~~~Previously~~~_

 _Rachel lost a battle with Echo and became one of Splendora's servants due a cursed choker around her neck. Afterwards, Rachel was sent to eliminate the specialists and failed. The specialists escaped Splendora's tower, once they regained the ability to summon their weapons, thanks to Zane. After returning to Alfea, Carmen, Catarina, and Flora learn about the destruction of Red Fountain. Flora talked to Rosella, hoping to give her the confidence she needed. When the specialists arrive, Rexx is taken to the infirmary while the others are sent out to search for Helia and Colton. At Lake Roccaluce, they all battle an army of nightmare bats and Echo. Rosella is finally able to transform and defeat the witch. Back at Alfea, everyone is filled in on what's been happening. ~~~_

 **Alfea**

"Where are we going Catarina?" Rosella asked, as they walked down a long hallway.

Catarina smiled and continued to lead the way to their destination. "Now that you can transform, we have to train. You need to learn to control your powers. These powers of yours are quite fascinating, but you got to be ready for anything. The last thing we need is for you to lose control."

"Is it really going to be just the two of us?" Rosella asked.

"Not exactly." At that moment, Flora joined Catarina and Rosella.

"Flora agreed to help as well." Catarina said. "Carmen would be here as well, but she's busy making sure Rexx actually gets some rest. Although, he might end up in worse shape by the time she's done with him. If he's not careful, he will feel the burn. Literally."

Flora and Rosella laughed as they came to a somewhat empty room. After they walked inside, the doors closed and the room lit up. Within seconds, the entire room transformed into what looked like a target zone.

"What is this place?" Rosella asked.

"This is a special room Rosella." Catarina said. "It was the main training room before the simulator was up and running. I thought that it would be a great place for us. The first thing we have to do is free Rachel from Splendora's control. And the only way to do that is by destroying the nightmare choker. Giving that it's a small target, you need to learn to focus your magic."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

"He's been at that for over an hour." Gale said, watching Alex take down a few targets with his arrows.

Rexx sighed and turned his attention to Zane, who was taking down targets with his whip. "Alex isn't the only one. I can understand why they are going through so much trouble."

"You shouldn't even be out here Rexx." Gale said. "How did you get away from Carmen?"

Rexx laughed a little and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, she left to get me something to eat and I kind of sneaked out."

"She's not going to be happy about that." Helia said.

Gale and Rexx glanced over at Helia, "Headmaster."

"I can't just sit around and do nothing." Rexx said.

Colton walked up behind Rexx and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You should get back before Carmen comes looking for you."

"Rexx!" Carmen called out, walking over to him. "What are you thinking? You haven't fully recovered yet. Not to mention that you sneaked out. I thought something might have happened to you. You had me worried sick."

A look of fear crossed Rexx's face when he heard Carmen's voice. "Carmen. I'm sorry for sneaking out. I don't like sitting still for long periods of time. Besides, we all need to get to stronger if we want to stop those witches."

"Fine. If that's what you really want to do." Carmen said, smiling. "Charmix! Carmen, fairy of volcanoes." After a flash of light appeared and faded, Carmen came into view. "If you want to train so badly, then all you have to do is defeat me."

Rexx sighed and walked over beside the lake. "Alright, but I won't go easy on you. There's just one condition. If I win, you have to go on a date with me."

"Sounds good to me." Carmen said, landing a few feet in front of him. "If I win, you have to rest and go on a date with me. If you were to go easy on me, I would be very offended."

Rexx smiled and nodded, as his chakrams appeared. "Let's get started then." Smirking, his chakrams ignited before he threw them at Carmen.

Alex and Zane took notice to the two fire users and quickly joined the others. No one wanted to get in their way or be close by as they dueled.

"Who's got a better chance here?" Alex asked.

Gale watched Carmen and Rexx, sighing a little. "They both use some sort of fire magic. Rexx has his inferno chakrams and Carmen can manipulate lava. It will be pretty close."

"Carmen has got the advantage." Colton said. "Unlike Rexx, she's at full strength."

Carmen waited until the chakrams got closer and put up her attack shield. "You'll have to do better than that Rexx." Within seconds, orbs of lava shot out at Rexx.

Rexx quickly dodged the attack, as his chakrams returned to his hands. _'This is going to be harder than I thought. Then again, I have a idea.'_ Without hesitation, he threw his chakrams in opposite directions and watched as they ricocheted back at Carmen.

Carmen took notice to the chakrams and attempted to dodge, only to have one strike her in the side. Wincing, she fell to her knees and rubbed her hip. _'That hurt a little.'_ Laughing, she flew up in the air and prepared for another attack. "Let's see how you handle this. Lava beam."

Without hesitation, Rexx threw his chakrams at the lava beam and caused a massive explosion. After the smoke cleared, both of them were found lying on the ground. "That was fun. How about that date?"

Carmen laughed and sat up, reverting back to her civilian form. Today, she wore a red crop top, black jeans and red boots. "I actually enjoyed myself. How about we go to Magix City for lunch?"

"Sounds good to me." Rexx said, laughing and standing up.

"Any ideas on who actually won?" Colton asked.

"If Carmen would have used her full power, she would have easily won." Gale said.

Zane leaned up against a nearby tree and stared at the ground. _'How could they possibly be thinking about dating at a time like this? Now is not the time for things like that. We need to focus on getting stronger and taking down those witches as soon as possible.'_

"Something on your mind Zane?" Helia asked.

"Dating." Zane said. "There's so much going on and that's what they are thinking about. It's a waste of time if you ask me." With that, he turned and made his way back to Alfea.

Gale watched Zane leave and sighed. "That guy really needs to learn how to lighten up. At the same time, he's right. We need to be ready for the next attack."

"You can't expect him to lighten up that easily." Alex said. "Who knows how long he was in that tower. It's just a defense mechanism, nothing more. In time, he will come around and open up."

Carmen stood up and shook herself off, before joining the guys. "Zane is more like a lone wolf."

"That may be so, but we need to work together." Alex said. "By the way, where is Rosella?"

Carmen sighed and shook her head a little. "I will never understand guys. As for Rosella, she with Catarina and Flora. They are trying to help her control her magic. She will need to focus her magic in order to destroy the nightmare choker, without hurting Rachel in the process."

"I'm going to go see how things are going." Alex said. "Focus is something that I know very well. I might be able to help Rosella better than they can." Walking back to Alfea, he made his way to the special training room.

Colton watched Alex leave and smiled a little. "Alex just wants a reason to see Rosella."

"There's no doubt about that." Gale said. "Alex does know a thing or two about focus. Don't forget that uses a bow and arrow. He needs to focus in order to use it properly."

"Did anyone else notice Zane's weapon?" Rexx asked.

"He uses a whip." Gale said.

Colton and Carmen looked at Rexx with a confused look on their faces. Colton was the first to speak up. "That's a strange question Rexx."

"It didn't give off any magic while he was using it." Rexx said. "It's just a little odd."

Gale leaned up against a tree, lost in thought. "You have a point there. It was the same way in the tower."

"He's right. It is strange." Helia said. "The thunder whip has lightning based magic. It should have given off a little magic when he used it. Something must be suppressing the magic within it."

Rexx sighed and grabbed Carmen's hand. "It's probably not something we're going to figure out right away. Let's get going Carmen."

Carmen smiled and left with Rexx for the bus to Magix City. "Hopefully nothing happens while we're gone."

 **Alfea**

Alex walked into the special training room, noticing the mess within. "What in the world happened in here?"

Catarina came out from behind a crate and turned her attention to Alex. "Rosella is what happened. She tried focusing her magic, but it got out of control."

"Things have not been going well so far." Flora said.

Alex smiled and walked over to Rosella, who was sitting on the floor. "Are you alright Rosella?"

"I will be fine." Rosella said.

Alex gently lifted Rosella up on the floor and moved her hair out of her face. "I'll take over her training. Flora, Catarina, you two look like you could use a break anyway."

Catarina and Flora laughed a little as they stood up and nodded. It was true after all. They were both tired and was more than happy to let Alex take over. Besides, they thought that Alex and Rosella needed to spend more time together. After all, it was completely obvious that they liked each other.

"Be careful." Flora said, walking over to a table with Catarina and sitting down.

Rosella smiled and released a breath. "Thank you Alex. I didn't mean to cause such a mess."

Alex laughed and summoned his weapon. "Let's forget about your magic for a little bit." Within an instant, three targets appeared in front of them. "You just have to clear your mind and focus on the target. Archery is a great way to learn focus and less destructive."

Rosella nodded and returned to her civilian form. Her outfit included a black, midriff length, long sleeve shirt with a blue vest and a black skirt that reached a few inches above her knees. She wore silver heels and a heart-shaped necklace wrapped in leaves around her neck along with a pink rose in her hair. In truth, she was excited to learn from Alex and wanted to spend time with him.

"Thank you Alex."

Alex nodded and handed Rosella his bow, making sure she was positioned right. "All you have to do is breathe. Block out everything around you and focus on the target. Go ahead and give it a shot."

Rosella released a breath and pulled the arrow back. A few minutes later, she released the arrow and watched as it struck the wall behind the target. "That didn't go as well as I hoped."

"It just takes practice Rosella. Archery is not something you can learn over night." Alex said. "That being said, you are not training for archery. This is the only way that I can teach you how to focus. If you can learn to focus with archery, you will be able to use that knowledge with your magic. Or perhaps we need to get you out of this room. Let's head down to the lake and continue there."

Catarina and Flora stood up, smiling. Catarina walked over to Rosella and nodded. "It would be a good idea. It would be less destructive at the lake anyways."

"Perhaps what you need is some fresh air Rosella." Flora said.

Rosella nodded and walked with the three of them down to the lake. _'I really hope this works or Rachel will continue to be Splendora's puppet.'_

 **Splendora's Tower**

"Where is Rave?"

"I am not sure mistress." Echo said, kneeling before Splendora. "He has yet to return."

Splendora glared as a stone orb shattered into millions of pieces. "Find him Echo."

Echo nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

"I won't allow those fairies to get the best of me."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

"You can't be finished already." Gale said, taking notice to Alex and the girls.

Alex laughed a little and shook his head. "We're not finished. We just needed a change of scenery. Let's just say that it's safer out here."

"Did you happen to see Zane?" Gale asked.

Alex shook his head, turning his attention to Gale. "I haven't seen him since he left here. It's probably best to leave him alone."

"He sort of reminds me of you Alex." Colton said.

"What do you mean by that?" Alex asked.

"Well, for starters, neither one of you like to talk about your past." Gale said.

Colton nodded, looking at Gale as he spoke. "Exactly my point."

Alex sighed and looked at Rosella. "We should get back to training." With that he walked away from the group and over to a couple of targets.

"I'm sure they will both open up in time." Rosella said, before following after Alex.

Alex looked at his reflection in the water and sighed. _'I wish things were different.'_

 _~~~ Flashback ~~~_

" _Let's play big brother."_

 _Alex smiled at his little brother and nodded. "Sure thing Rave."_

 _The two boys chased each other the yard and fought with toy swords. For the most part, everything was going great. Rave and Alex always played together. At that time, the two of them were inseparable. Rave would follow Alex everywhere he went. During those days, Rave had looked up to his older brother. It would be that way until the day Rave went missing. Ever since, Alex has not been able to forgive himself. He had searched a long time for Rave, but was unable to find out anything. Before he could continue his search, he was sent off to Red Fountain. ~~~_

"Are you alright Alex?" Rosella asked.

Alex snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Rosella, nodding. "I'll be fine. Just had something on my mind. Let's get to work."

Rosella nodded and walked away from the targets, until she came to the perfect spot to stand. _'He must be thinking about Rave. I wonder what happened between them.'_

"Remember what I told you Rosella." Alex said. "Breathe and focus on the target. Try to hit the center, or the target if you can."

Rosella released a breath and pulled the arrow back. _'I just need to concentrate.'_ A few minutes later, she released the arrow and watched as it hit the ground in front of the target.

"She came close." Flora said.

Helia watched Rosella before turning his attention to Flora. "Close isn't going to cut it. This is just practice, not the real thing. However, given time, she could be a very fine archer. A mistake like that could cost Rachel her life. I believe that the mere thought of that is holding Rosella back. Her true target is a lot smaller than this."

"She will be fine." Catarina said. "Now she has Alex to help her. In fact, he's probably the best person to teach her. She's definitely doing better now than she did in the training room."

Gale nodded and turned his attention back to Rosella. "She has a long way to go. Alex is unfocused as well. I'm going to see if I can find Zane. Those witches are after him as well." With that, he turned and started walking towards Alfea.

"I'll come with you Gale." Catarina said, following after him. "It would safer if we go together."

Helia watched as Gale and Catarina left, before turning his attention to Flora. "You should go with them. They are not as experienced as you are. I will stay here with Alex and Rosella."

Flora nodded and followed after Catarina. "Three is better than two. We need to stay alert at all times."

 **Magix City**

Carmen and Rexx got off the bus and walked to a small cafe. They sat down at a table on the patio and ordered their food, spicy hot wings. While waiting for their food, they watched all the people that walked by.

"How do you think things are going?" Carmen asked.

"I'm sure that everyone else is just fine." Rexx said. "They are able to take care of themselves."

Carmen sighed and looked at Rexx. "I know. I'm just worried about them. Not having Rachel around is taking a toll on everyone. And Rosella is finally starting to have confidence in herself. Catarina always knows the right thing to say. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do."

"You have nothing to figure out Carmen." Rexx said. "You have so much energy and happiness, that it rubs off on everyone. Don't ever doubt yourself."

Carmen smiled and nodded. "I won't. There's so much to deal with right now. What if we fail?"

"The only way we fail is if we don't try." Rexx said. "As long as we work together, there's nothing we can't do. It's the only way to defeat those witches."

Carmen sighed and looked down a little. "At least we're getting to spend time together."

Rexx nodded and smiled when their food arrived. Without hesitation, he started to eat. "That's the good thing."

Carmen began to eat until she heard people screaming. "I wonder what that's about."

"I think that we're about to find out." Rexx said, standing up and summoning his chakrams.

"Charmix!" Within seconds, Carmen transformed into her fairy form. She wore a red, short sleeve, crop top with a flame in the center; red short shorts, red knee length boots with orange heels, orange elbow length arm bands, and a yellow choker with a orange gem attached. Her wings were flame shaped with twisted tips, made up of three layers. The outer layer was red followed by orange and then yellow. "Carmen, Fairy of volcanoes. Be careful Rexx. We have no idea what's coming this way."

Rexx nodded as Echo came into view and stood ready to fight. "So you're the one behind this."

"What do we have here?" Echo asked. "A fairy and her boy toy. How sweet. I hate sweet. You don't stand a chance against me. Sonic echo."

Carmen quickly took action and flew in front of Rexx. "Lava attack shield." Within seconds, a red shield formed around them and fired off orbs of lava at Echo.

Echo winced in pain as the orbs hit and growled a little. "Not bad fairy, but you'll have to do better than that. Sonic bolt."

Rexx quickly threw his chakrams at Echo and blocked her attack. "You're messing with two fire users witch."

"You've gotten stronger, but it's still not good enough." Echo said, chuckling as waves of sound surrounded Rexx and Carmen.

Carmen cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "We have to stop her no matter what."

"Hang on Carmen." Rexx said. "I'll get us out of here." Without hesitation, he called back his chakrams. "Let's hope this works." Within seconds, the chakrams ignited as he threw them at the bars and shattered them. "Is that it Echo?"

Echo chuckled as she formed energy in her hand. "Sonic echo, sonic bolt." Suddenly, the energy burst out towards Rexx and Carmen. Before they could react, they were sent flying across the street.

Carmen winced in pain and balanced herself on her arm. "I can't move."

"That makes both of us." Rexx said, wincing. "My leg is broken."

Echo appeared in front of them and smirked. "How pathetic. You two were just a waste of my time. However, you could prove to be of some use." Within seconds, Rexx and Carmen were put in a sound cage. "You two will be an example for all those who wish to defy my mistress." Before they could react, shadow threads lifted them off the ground. "And just to make sure you don't try anything, the threads will tighten every five minutes."

"Rexx..." Carmen said.

Rexx winced and looked at Carmen. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you."

Echo glared, as more energy formed in her hand. "Fairy wings are so delicate. Sonic blast." The energy shot right at Carmen and shredded her wings. "You will never fly again little fairy. And don't worry, all your little pathetic friends will get to see them." Turning to Rexx, she smirked and rubbed the side of his face. "You would make for a nice pet, chained to my side."

"Not in this lifetime you psycho witch." Rexx said, glaring.

Echo smiled and glanced over at Carmen. "Choose your words wisely or I will personally take her last breath and force you to watch her die." Smirking, she gently kissed Rexx and dug her nails into the back of his neck.

"Leave him alone!" Carmen called out, as the shadow threads tightened around her neck.

Echo pulled away from Rexx, her nails still buried in his neck. "It would be a shame if I were to pierce a major artery. Be quiet fairy or his blood will be on your hands." Chuckling, she removed her nails and wiped the blood across Carmen's neck.

Rexx cried out in pain, until Echo kissed him. _'I can't stop her. There's nothing I can do.'_

Carmen shivered as Echo wiped the blood across her neck. _'Rexx. If only we were stronger.'_ Tears flowed down her face as the threads grew tighter.

"I'm just getting started with you two." Echo said. "With the right frequency, I can slow your heartbeat." She then placed a hand over Carmen's heart and sent sound waves through it. "You can feel it can't you."

Carmen cried out in pain and dropped her head. _'I won't last much longer like this.'_

"Carmen?!" Rexx called out.

Rachel appeared behind Echo and smirked. "Why don't you let me take over from here."

Echo took notice to Rachel and moved out of the way. "I shall leave this to you." With that, Echo disappeared into the shadows.

"I see that you're still alive Rexx." Rachel said, giggling. "And if it isn't Carmen. This is going to be fun." Smirking, she formed two crystals and pierced them both in the stomach. "You two are a real pain." She lodged the crystals deeper, until only a small point was shown.

Rexx cried out in pain and tried to focus on Carmen. "Rachel, stop this." He coughed up blood and dropped his head.

"Don't worry, you won't die yet." Rachel said, as the cage disappeared.

 **Lake Roccaluce**

'They have been at this for a while now.' Helia thought.

"Let's try something else Rosella." Alex said, walking behind her. "Let me help you." Smiling, he grabbed the bow and helped her pull back the arrow. "Don't think about it. All you have to do is see yourself making the shot and then make it so."

Rosella blushed as she felt Alex's hand on hers and nodded. _'Everything feels so nice around him. It's almost as if all my fears have gone away.'_

"Now's the time." Alex said as they released the arrow and struck the target. "Why don't you try it on your own now."

Rosella nodded and pulled back another arrow. _'I just have to see myself making the shot.'_ Breathing out, she released the arrow and watched as it landed right beside the other. "I did it."

"All you have to do now is use what you've learned with your magic." Alex said, smiling.

Watching from the shadows was a shadowy figure. _'I will get you brother. First things first, I have to get him alone.'_

 **Alfea**

"There's no sign of Zane anywhere." Catarina said.

Gale sighed and looked around. "He has to be around here somewhere. I don't think that he would just take off without a word."

"I'm sure that he just needs time to himself." Flora said.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a dark energy that appeared in the quad. Once it cleared, a cage came into view. Looking closer, Gale took notice to Rexx and Carmen. Without hesitation, the three of them ran up to the cage.

"What could have happened to them?" Gale asked.

Flora quickly pulled out her phone and made a call.

 **Lake Roccaluce**

"We have to get back to Alfea you two." Helia said. "Carmen and Rexx are back. Things are not good at all."

Rosella and Alex nodded as they made their over to Helia. Before Alex could say a word, he took notice to the shadowy figure. Gripping his bow, he readied himself for a fight.

"We're not alone." Alex said. "Head on back alright. I'll deal with whoever is out there."

Helia nodded and turned to Rosella. "Let's go. Alex can handle this."

"Be careful Alex." Rosella said, as she left with Helia.

Once the two of them were gone, Alex turned his attention to the mysterious figure and readied an arrow. "I know you're there. Come out before I shoot."

Rave chuckled and stepped out of the shadows. "You won't use that on me brother. Let's just get straight to the point. Give yourself up and I might leave your friends alone."

"Why are you doing this Rave?" Alex asked.

Rave smirked and moved closer to Alex. "I don't have to explain myself to you. You won't hurt me, but I would love to hurt you. Splendora is more powerful than you realize. She will rule the entire Magix dimension and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"She's just using you Rave." Alex said.

Rave summoned his shadow sais and attacked Alex without hesitation. "That's where you're wrong."

Alex quickly used his bow to block the attack and push Rave back. "What do you think will happen if she wins? Do you truly believe that she will keep you around? Open your eyes."

"Shut up." Rave said, piercing Alex's shoulder. "You don't know anything."

Alex winced in pain and used his bow to knock Rave to the ground. "You're my brother. I don't want to fight you."

"That's funny." Rave said, jumping up. "I want to fight you." Within seconds, he pierced Alex's stomach and watched him fall to the ground. "One more thing brother. Now there is a poison flowing through your entire body."

Alex cried out in pain and began to sweat heavily. "Bro...ther." Before he could say anything, he fell unconscious.

"Too easy." Rave said, smirking and grabbing a hold of Alex. "Splendora is going to love this."

Echo watched Rave and walked out from the shadows. "This is why you haven't returned. Your revenge had better not get in the way of Splendora's plans."

"Relax Echo." Rave said. "Alex is quite fond of Rosella and she feels the same about him. We can use him to get to her."

Echo smirked as shadow threads tightened around Rave's neck. "This had better work or I will personally put an end to you."

Rave winced in pain and disappeared with Alex in tow. _'I'll make her pay for that.'_

 **Alfea**

Helia and Rosella made it back to Alfea, taking notice to Carmen and Rexx. Everyone in the quad had stopped what they were doing in order to gaze upon the cage, most of which were completely horrified at the sight.

"What could have happened to them?" Colton asked.

Rosella took notice to Carmen's wings and had to quickly look away, as tears flowed down her face. "Why would someone do this?"

"We will find who's responsible for this and stop them." Helia said, trying to comfort Rosella. "I promise."

Flora nodded and placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder. "They won't get away with this. Right now, we need to free Carmen and Rexx. They need medical attention."

"It's a sound cage." Zane said, walking through the entrance. "It will be difficult to destroy it without hurting them."

"Where have you been?" Gale asked.

Zane looked down and sighed. "I was checking on a friend of mine. He's been busy lately and I wanted to make sure his family was alright. They live in Magix City. Sorry."

"You could have at least told us." Colton said.

Zane glared at little and turned to Colton. "I don't have to tell you anything. However, I am grateful that you set me free. Now do you understand? This is why we need to focus on those witches instead of dating. You underestimate them and this is what happens. If you want to survive, we have to stay together. Going off on your own is dangerous."

"How do we get them out of there?" Gale asked.

Zane turned to Gale and glanced at the cage. "You have to disrupt the sound waves. A change in frequency should shatter them. In other words, unless you can use some sort of sound magic, you can't save them. This is one of Echo's most powerful spells and it looks like Rachel had a part in this as well. If you don't hurry, they will die."

"That's the problem." Catarina said. "None of us know sound magic."

"Did someone say sound magic?"

Upon hearing the new voice, they all looked at the entrance and smiled. Standing in front of the gate was none other than Musa, just the person they needed. Musa walked up to them and gave Flora a hug.

"Musa. I thought you were on tour." Flora said.

Musa nodded and released Flora. "I was until I heard about what was going on here. There was no way that I wasn't going to come lend a hand. It looks like I arrived just in time. Being the fairy of music, I can easily shatter that cage."

"If you release them, I can use my magic to heal their wounds." Rosella said. "Sadly, I won't be able to heal Carmen's wings."

Musa nodded and placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder. "Just do what you can. Once she's able to return to normal, her wings will heal on their own. It will take time, but they will return to normal."

Rosella smiled before realizing something important. "Oh no. Alex."

"Where is he?" Zane asked. "I'll go get him."

Rosella nodded and turned to Zane. "He's at the lake. I believe he saw someone and stayed behind to fight."

Zane nodded and ran off to the lake. _'I just hope that I'm not too late.'_

Musa nodded and quickly transformed. "Magic Winx! Bloomix!" Within an instant, Musa had transformed and was standing beside the cage. "Musa, Fairy of music. Alright, let's get them out of there. Infinite Echo." All of a sudden, a crescent-shaped sonic beam struck the cage and shattered hit. "Now Rosella."

Rosella quickly ran over to Rexx and Carmen. "What about the crystals?"

"I got it." Gale said. "You got to be quick Rosella. If the wound isn't sealed quickly, they will die. Let's take care of Carmen first."

Rosella nodded as her hands began to glow. "I have a better idea. My magic can heal them as you pull the shards out." Without hesitation, she held her hands next to the shard. "Now's your chance Gale."

Gale carefully pulled out the shard and laid it on the ground, watching as the wound closed. "That was great. Now for Rexx."

Rosella moved over to Rexx and healed his wound as Gale pulled out the shard. "That should do it. I've healed them enough to keep them alive. They will still need medical attention, but they will survive."

Catarina smiled and gave Rosella a hug. "You did great Rosella. Thanks to you, they both are saved."

"I was always pretty good with my healing magic." Rosella said. "You wouldn't believe how many times I had to use it." Sighing, she watched as Carmen and Rexx were taken to the infirmary. "We can't go on like this. They have to be stopped."

Catarina nodded and stood beside Rosella. "I agree with you Rosella, but we're already down two people. If this keeps up, we won't stand a chance."

"Then we need to get help." Rosella said. "All the help we can get."

Flora and Musa walked up to Rosella, smiling. "Just who did you have in mind?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Rosella asked. "The question is, can you get them here? This affects everyone in Magix."

Catarina couldn't help but laugh and pat Rosella on the shoulder. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Rosella?"

They all laughed and looked towards the entrance. It was going to take more than what they had to defeat the witches and they knew that. Looking up at the sky, they noticed the change in weather. The clouds had grown dark and lightning filled the sky.

"It's nice to see this side of you Rosella." Catarina said.

Rosella smiled and fisted her hands a little. "There's a storm brewing and we need to be ready for what's coming. We'll take the fight to the witches and show them just who they are messing with. At least that way, people will be safe."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Zane arrived at the lake and looked around. There was no sign of Alex anywhere, but there were signs of a battle. It wasn't long before he took notice to the arrows on the ground. _'There was definitely a struggle here.'_ Taking a closer look around, he took notice to the broken bow. _'Someone must have broken it. It would be a great way to keep Alex from summoning it. It has to be them. Rosella is not going to like this. Hold on, what's that?'_ Looking at a nearby boulder, he noticed deep gash. _'An arrow couldn't make a gash like this. And I can pick up traces of shadow energy. Rave must have taken him. Now to get back to the others.'_

Zane was about to get up and leave when a familiar dark cloud appeared in front of him. He quickly jumped up and readied his whip. Glaring, he waited for the smoke to clear and reveal the witch.

"What do you plan on doing with that Zane?" Echo asked, chuckling. "You can't hope to defeat me. Your friends already tried that and look what happened to them. Give yourself up before someone else gets hurt or worse."

Zane glared and struck the witch with his whip. "I won't let you get away with hurting them."

Echo smirked and grabbed the whip tightly. "You're not strong enough. The two of them together couldn't stop me. What's this? No shock. Your weapon has lost its magic." Smiling, she twisted the whip and wrapped it tightly around Zane's wrist. "Let's see you stop this. Sonic Bolt." The energy shot through the whip and expanded upon hitting Zane's hand.

Zane cried out in pain and held his hand. "I'm not like them. I'm stronger."

"Is that so?" Echo asked, wrapping the whip around his neck and tightening it. "You can't even get out of this. Perhaps you should have went with a different weapon. I wouldn't even be able to hold on to it if the magic was there."

Zane winced in pain, struggling to breathe and falling to his knees. _'I have to do something quick. She won't kill me yet. No, Splendora needs me alive long enough to transfer Rosella's magic. I have to break free or Splendora will be even closer to her goal.'_

"Light Spectrum." All of a sudden, Echo was struck by a spiraling beam of energy.

Zane quickly unwrapped the whip off his neck and wrist, taking notice to the burns it left behind. "Perfect timing." Without hesitation, he pulled his whip back and stood ready for another attack.

Echo winced a little and growled. "Who the hell are you?"

"Stella, Fairy of the shining sun. I won't allow you to hurt him anymore. Your in trouble now you hideously dressed witch."

Echo laughed as energy formed around her. "You stupid fairy. Nothing you do will stop me. Sonic Echo."

Stella cried out in pain as she was knocked out of the sky and slowly stood back up. "Someone really needs to work on their manners."

"A fairy and a worthless hero." Echo said. "Now where have I seen this before? Ah yes, now I remember. It was in Magix City, where I took down those pathetic fire users. Perhaps I should have killed them when I had the chance."

Zane glared and quickly ran to stand beside Stella. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Stella said. "You asked for it witch. Ray of Pure Light." Within an instant, a beam of light shot out at Echo. "Try that on for size."

Echo smirked and quickly dodged the attack. "Is that the best you can do? I expected more from a member of the Winx. Looks like you're not as great as they say. Prepare to die."

"Why didn't it work?" Stella asked.

Echo chuckled and launched another attack. "Sonic Bolt."

"Bio-Rhythmic Flow!" At that moment, Echo was struck with a green and blue electric ray.

Echo growled as she was knocked to the ground, throwing off her attack. "Another fairy."

"You got that right. Tecna, Fairy of Technology."

"Nice work Tecna." Stella said.

Echo glared and disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke.

"She's gone for now, but she will return." Zane said, wincing in pain and falling to his knees.

A few minutes later and a ship landed in an open area. Zane looked at the ship, noticing that it was an Owl. Sighing, he fell to the ground unconscious.

"You girls look like you need a ride."

"Brandon." Stella said, running up and hugging him.

 _'Some things never change.'_ Tecna thought. "If you two are finished, I could use some help over here."

"What happened to him?" Timmy asked.

"It's a long story." Tecna said. "Now get over here you guys. We need to get him on the ship and back to Alfea. By the look of things, he's perfectly fine. He's just exhausted from the battle."

The guys nodded and carefully carried Zane on to the ship. Once everyone was on board, the ship took off towards Alfea. Zane awoke a few minutes later and looked around. He was still weak from the battle and couldn't help but feel useless.

 _'I don't understand why the magic in my whip would disappear.'_ Zane thought. _'If Stella and Tecna hadn't of shown up when they did, I would be another prisoner in Splendora's tower.'_ "Thank you. You showed up at the right moment. I thought it was the end for sure."

"You can thank us later." Stella said. "That witch is total criminal against fashion."

Tecna sighed and shook her head a little. "You'll have to forgive Stella. Fashion is something she cares deeply about. You should focus on getting some rest until we reach Alfea."

Zane chuckled a little and closed his eyes. "You don't have to worry about me. I've been through a lot over the past few weeks. She wasn't going to kill me at all."

"What were you doing out there all by yourself?" Brandon asked.

Zane sighed and opened his eyes. "I was looking for a friend, but I got there too late. Actually, I was getting ready to head back to Alfea when Echo attacked."

 **Alfea**

The ship landed at Alfea and Zane walked out, limping a little. Taking a look around, he sighed and turned his attention to Rosella. _'How do I tell her that Alex was taken captive?'_

"Tecna, Stella." Flora and Musa said, hugging their two friends.

"It's great to see you girls." Tecna said, smiling.

Stella laughed and glanced around at her friends. "It feels so nice to be all together again."

"Helia." Brandon said. "We heard about what happened. How is everyone?"

Helia sighed and shook his head. "Everyone managed to get out safely, but the school is completely destroyed. I managed to find out who caused the explosions, even fought him. Unfortunately, he got away and who knows where he could be."

"Why is it that Red Fountain becomes a target?" Timmy asked. "It's not the first time it was destroyed."

Rosella looked over at Zane and looked down. "Did you find anything?"

"I'm sorry Rosella." Zane said, looking down. "Rave got to him before I could. By the time I got there, they were already gone. Don't worry though, I'm sure he's still alive."

Rosella let a few tears fall before walking to a part of the quad where no one was at. _'Alex. I'm sorry for getting you involved in this. There's only one thing left for me to do. I can't stand by and watch all my friends get hurt.'_

"Zane." Flora said. "What makes you think he's still alive?"

Zane sighed and looked up before glancing at Rosella. "It's because of Rosella. They will use Alex to draw her out. I have to stay away from her for the time being."

"She needs all the friends she can get right now." Catarina said. "And that includes you Zane."

Zane looked at Catarina and shook his head. "I know that, but it's too dangerous. Even if they do manage to get to her, they will need me. Rosella could hand over her horn, but Splendora will not be able to use it without me."

"Which is why we need to look out for both of you." Rexx said, walking up behind Zane.

Gale sighed and looked at Rexx. "You should be resting. How are up moving around?"

"It would seem that my wounds were able to heal rather quickly." Rexx said. "And I might have woke up and used my chakram to seal the wound on my neck, which really hurt by the way. I only have enough energy to walk around, but I can't say the same for Carmen. The damage to her wings was extensive."

Colton listened to Rexx and looked at Rosella. "She's so sad. I wish there was some way to cheer her up."

"I'm not too surprised by her reaction." Catarina said. "Rosella has lost so much already and she believes that she is the cause of all this chaos. And I've seen the way she looks at Alex. It's not question that she likes him."

Zane looked at Rosella, completely saddened and sat down on a nearby bench. "No one should have to go through what she has dealt with. What do we do now? Carmen and Rexx are in no condition to fight. You've seen how strong Echo is and Splendora is much more dangerous. Not to mention that we still need to break the spell on Rachel. I'm in no condition to fight either and besides, my whip is useless."

"It is strange." Gale said. "Why would the magic suddenly stop working? It was perfectly fine in the tower."

Rosella waited until no one was looking and took off into the forest. _'I'm sorry everyone, but I must do this.'_ She continued to run until she came to a dark tower. _'This must be the place.'_

"I could create a potion to speed up Carmen's recovery time." Flora said. "We are going to need to be full strength in order to take on those witches."

 _'We don't stand a chance against them.'_ Zane thought. _'Even with everyone here, it won't be enough. It would be foolish for us to continue. The best thing for us to do is to give up and let them take over.'_

Gale looked over at Zane and got an idea. "I think I know why your whip isn't working Zane. Your keeping the magic from coming out."

"How is that possible?" Zane asked.

"Gale is right. I can feel the magical aura coming from it." Catarina said. "You have a lot of fear and doubt. And don't try to lie to me alright. I am able to sense aura and I can feel the concern you have. You doubt yourself and the abilities of those around you. Because of that, the magic within your whip will not react to you."

Zane looked down and crossed his arms. "So what if I do? I've counted on people before and was let down every time. Why should I believe in anyone now?"

Catarina smiled and placed a hand on Zane's shoulder. "We're your friends and we want to help you. If you truly believed that, you wouldn't have helped us. The magic will show itself when you realize that you're not alone. Only by standing together can we hope to win. Have faith in yourself and others."

Zane looked up at Catarina and smiled a little. "I guess that it wouldn't hurt to try." Looking around, he noticed that Rosella was nowhere to be seen. "Hold on. Where is Rosella?"

"She must have left while we weren't looking." Tecna said.

"Where would she even go?" Musa asked.

"I've got a pretty good idea." Gale said. "She giving herself up. Why else would she sneak away?"

 **Splendora's Tower**

Rosella stared at the structure before her and let out a small breath. "I'm here Splendora. Let Alex go."

Rachel chuckled and appeared in front of Rosella. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. It's just like a weakling to hand themselves over to someone much more superior. The mistress will be pleased to see you. Charmix!" In a flash of dark energy, Rachel transformed and floated in the air. "Rachel, Fairy of gemstones. I'm going to enjoy this. Crystal Blast."

Rosella quickly dodged the attack and glared at Rachel. "You don't have to do this Rachel. We're friends and I don't want to fight you. This isn't you at all."

"You don't anything about me." Rachel said. "All you do is cry and keep secrets. You're pathetic Rosella. Crystal Bolt."

Rosella cried out in pain and dropped to one knee. "I know that you are strong and can handle yourself with ease. You don't care to tell people the truth, even if it hurts them. Sometimes, it's exactly what they need to hear."

"It's a shame that I can't kill you." Rachel said, chuckling.

Rosella slowly stood up and fisted her hands. "You're my friend, but I can't allow to hurt anyone. Carmen and Rexx almost died because of you. Charmix!" Within an instant, Rosella transformed and hovered in the air before Rachel. "Rosella, Fairy of unicorns."

Rosella wore a sky blue crop top with a single long sleeve and a translucent pink material in the center, sky blue capris and white knee length boots with pink heels. Her wings are elf like and colored a pale rainbow. Upon her head is a rainbow colored unicorn horn.

"So you can transform now." Rachel said, smirking. "It won't be enough to defeat me. Crystal Reflection."

Rosella quickly flew out of the range of the attack and released a breath. "I'm here to help you Rachel. The choker is making you act like this. Please forgive me. Light Arrow." Within seconds, an arrow of light formed and struck the choker around Rachel's neck. "Rachel. Are you alright?"

Rachel cried out in pain as a dark energy left her body. Looking at Rosella, she smiled and hugged her. "You saved me Rosella. Look, I'm sorry for everything. I didn't mean those awful things I said. That choker made me hurt people and I couldn't stop myself. I'm the weakling, not you."

"Rachel." Rosella said. "You're not weak at all. You were right all along. I was a weak and scared girl, until I met my new best friends. Look, you need to get back to the others. They will need you with them."

Rachel shook her head and stared at Rosella with disbelief. "I can't just leave you here alone."

"I will be fine Rachel." Rosella said. "They won't hurt me. Get back to Alfea and protect Zane. He needs you more than I do. They need him in order for their plans to work. Please, I'm asking you to do this for me."

Rachel sighed and nodded. "Fine. You won't get to Alex that easily. Be careful Rosella." With that, Rachel took off towards Alfea.

"You did well Rave." Splendora said, rubbings Alex's face. "It's no surprise that she came here for him. Once she has given up her horn, I will kill him myself."

Rave looked at Alex and glared a little as Splendora spoke. "He's mine to kill."

"Nightmare Spider." Splendora chuckled as a crimson and black spider appeared in front of Rave. "You obey me Rave. Your brother will die by my hands. Now then, what are you afraid of?"

If there was one thing Rave didn't like, it was snakes and that is what the spider morphed into. He fell to the ground in fear and covered his eyes. "It's not real."

Splendora chuckled at the sight of Rave and snapped her fingers, causing the snake to disappear. "Interrupt me again and I will make you suffer even more. Now get out of my sight."

Rave disappeared into the shadows, appearing in front of Rosella. "You are a fool to come here."

"Who are you?" Rosella asked.

Rave chuckled and summoned his sais. "You don't know me. I am Rave, Alex's younger brother."

"Why do you hate him so much?" Rosella asked.

"I don't know." Rave said. "Maybe because he's so special. It was always about him. He had the talent and I was just a screw up. Nothing I did was ever good enough. My family didn't care about me. They always looked down on me for having dark magic. All they saw was a evil little boy."

Rosella looked down and held her arm. "That can't be true. Alex, he still cares for you. Please, don't do this. Show them that you are not the person they think you are. I know that it must have been hard on you, but I have to believe that they still cared for you. Right now, Alex is in there and he needs help. You know that. There's goodness in your heart."

"You don't know anything." Rave said as shadows swirled around him. "I was never good."

Rosella looked down and landed on her knees, reverting back to her normal self. It was then that she took notice to the setting sun. _'It's getting dark already. Alex. I need you to be strong.'_ "If that's what you believe, then take me to her. Take me to Splendora. I'm the one she's after. I won't fight you." As the sun set, her horn began to appear.

Rosella's outfit consisted of a short sleeve shirt with pink bands. The shirt was colored pale blue and faded into different shades of purple. On the shirt was a design that appeared as white meteors. Her pants were white and she wore pale blue ankle boots.

Rave walked up to Rosella and used one of his sais to lift her chin up. "You can't save him. No one can save him. Splendora can not be stopped. Three are of your friends are injured. I don't understand why you would give yourself up so easily. What do you hope to accomplish?"

"I don't want to watch anymore of my friends get hurt." Rosella said, with tear filled eyes. "I just want this all to be over with, even if it means sacrificing myself."

Rave put away his sais and took a step back. "You don't have the power to stop them. Giving yourself up won't save your friends or Alex. Splendora is going to kill him once she has your horn. Get out of here while you still can. You can't do this alone."

"What do you think you are doing?" Echo asked, appearing behind Rave. "Are you actually trying to help her escape? I knew you couldn't be trusted Rave. Sound Cage."

Rave cried out in pain as shadow threads wrapped around his neck and trapped him in the cage. "Rosella...run..."

"Leave him alone." Rosella said.

Echo turned to Rosella and smirked. "You stupid girl." Within an instant, shadow threads bound Rosella and lifted her into the air. "You're not going anywhere." Chuckling, she disappeared with Rosella and Rave. "Mistress. I have captured Rosella."

Splendora looked at Rosella and smirked. "I knew that you would come for this boy. And you'll get a front row seat to his death. Echo, do what you wish to Rave and make sure he suffers." Turning back to Rosella, she smiled as chains formed on her wrists and held her to the wall. "All that's left to do now is to find and capture Zane."

 _~~~Next Time~~~_

 _Rosella has been captured and Splendora is now set on capturing Zane. Meanwhile, Flora creates a potion in order to restore Carmen's wings. Echo tortures Rave due to his disloyalty and Alex is still unconscious. What could Splendora possibly be planning for Alex and Rosella? Find out next time on Scoutix Club ~~~_


	14. Price of Love

_~~~Previously~~~_

 _Rosella began training in order to understand her magic a little better, even going so far as to learn some archery from Alex. Rave defeated Alex and made him a prisoner in Splendora's tower once more, hoping to draw out Rosella. Rosella arrived at the tower and battled with Rachel, breaking Splendora's spell. Afterwards, Rachel headed back to Alfea and left Rosella all alone. Rave appeared before Rosella, telling her why he hated his family so much. Echo appeared and placed Rave in a sound cage as he was about to let Rosella escape.~~~_

 **Alfea**

Rachel walked through the entrance and looked over at everyone, keeping her head down. How could she possibly explain her actions? Would they even trust her after the things she had done? _'I wouldn't blame them for hating me right now.'_

Catarina took notice to Rachel and ran to the entrance, hugging her. "Rachel. It's great to have you back."

Rachel was completely surprised about the hug and let a few tears fall. "Catarina."

"Let's go see the others." Catarina said, pulling Rachel over to the rest of the group.

Zane looked over at Rachel and quickly looked away. "I'm sorry for hurting you Rachel."

Rachel smiled a little and placed a hand on Zane's shoulder. "You don't have to apologize. I'm glad that you did. I didn't want to hurt anyone. Actually, I'm the one that should be apologizing. I let that witch control me and hurt my friends. How's Rexx and Carmen?"

"I'm alright." Rexx said. "Thanks to Rosella, both me and Carmen are alright. However, Carmen isn't doing so well. She will live, but she won't be able to fight. Echo shredded her wings."

Rachel looked down and held her arm. _'How could I possibly make it up to them?'_

"Don't worry, Carmen will be just fine. We will find a way to restore her wings." Flora said, smiling.

Rachel nodded and sat down beside Zane. "I'm not sure if I can fight. After everything that I've done, I'm a little afraid."

"You don't have to afraid." Zane said. "We'll be right beside you all the way."

Rachel smiled a little and laid her head on Zane's shoulder. "It's Rosella I'm worried about. I never should have left her."

"You saw Rosella." Colton said.

Rachel nodded and stood up. "I only left because she asked me to. She just wanted to save Alex and keep us from getting hurt. That's why she surrendered. They won't hurt her, not yet at least."

"Those witches will attack again." Zane said, sighing. "They won't stop until they capture me as well."

Catarina fisted her hands and looked out towards the forest. "I can't stand those witches. They have gone too far. We have to hit them with everything we got."

Gale took Catarina's hands and nodded. "That's just what we will do. We can't go off battling them just yet. There's nothing we can do until Carmen gets better. Not to mention that Rexx and Rachel are still weak from their own battles."

"I will get to work on a potion to help Carmen." Flora said, walking inside Alfea.

Catarina smiled and hugged Gale. "I know that Gale. Perhaps I should go help Flora." With that, she took off after Flora. "Could you use a hand?"

Flora nodded and walked into the greenhouse. "We should be able to find some plants in here that will help. Your magic should be able to strengthen the effects just enough to restore Carmen's wings."

Zane sighed and stood up beside Rachel. "We have a long way to go before we can face those witches again."

"In that case, I suggest you get training." Helia said.

Rexx sighed and dropped his shoulders. "Saw that one coming."

"What happened to all that energy you always have?" Colton asked, laughing a little.

"It doesn't work so well when you are in pain." Rexx said.

"Charmix!" Within a flash of light, Rachel transformed and smiled. She wore a purple, single-strap top with a light blue sash and indigo looking skirt, having one side reach just above her knees. On her skirt was a light blue heart-shaped crystal with purple leggings. Her boots were indigo in color with purple heels and light blue band around the top with a silver gem hanging off them. Upon her strap was rainbow colored pendant. Her hair is dark blue and reaches just below her shoulders. As for her wings, they are like flowing fabric in shape and light blue in color. The inner workings of her wings are purple with four light blue, heart-shaped crystals, one on each wing.

"I have plenty more gems and crystals Rexx." Rachel said.

A look of fear came upon Rexx's face as he rubbed the back of his head. "That won't be necessary. Training sounds really good right now. Let's see what you got surfer boy."

"If you're sure you are up for it." Colton said, smiling and summoning his light javelin.

"Who do you think has the advantage?" Rachel asked.

"That would be Colton." Gale said. "Rexx is still weak, but he can put up a fight if he needs to."

Rexx summoned his inferno chakrams and walked with Colton to an open space away from everyone else. "Ready whenever you are Colton."

Colton smirked and charged at Rexx. "I won't go easy on you just you're hurt. Light Javelin Burst." Within seconds, a burst of light shot out at Rexx.

Rexx quickly dodged the attack and threw his chakrams. "It's going to take more than that."

Colton managed to dodge one of the chakrams as the other struck his side. "That hurt a little."

"Those two still have a lot to learn." Gale said. "Rexx gets a little too excited about battle and Colton has some self confidence issues. Let's go Zane."

Zane looked at Gale and sighed a little. "You know I can't."

"You can still fight, even without your lightning." Gale said. "Maybe we will figure out a way to bring out the magic. You can't rely on magic alone Zane."

Rachel smiled a little and started pushing on Zane's back. "Go on Zane. It will be good for you."

Zane sighed and followed Gale to an open area of the quad. "Don't even think about going easy on me."

Gale laughed a little and summoned his wind tonfa. "I wasn't planning on it. Just give it your best shot."

"I have everything we'll need to help Carmen." Flora said.

Catarina smiled and nodded. "I just hope this works. We don't have much time to figure this out."

Flora nodded and started working on the potion. "That should do it. All you have to do is use your magic on it."

Catarina released a breath as her hand began to glow a soft purple. "Hold on a little longer Carmen." Within an instant, a ray of purple energy mixed with the potion. _'Things seem to be going great.'_

"It's ready Catarina." Flora said. "Now to get this to Carmen."

Without hesitation, Flora and Catarina made their way to the infirmary and over to Carmen. Carmen was still unconscious from her last battle and in her fairy form. It was a complete mystery as to why she had yet to return to normal.

"Lift her head up." Flora said.

Catarina nodded and gently lifted Carmen's head. _'Everything will be alright Carmen.'_ Sighing, she watched as Flora gently poured the potion into Carmen's mouth.

"It will take time for the potion to take effect." Flora said. "Let's just hope that she recovers in time to help fight."

Catarina smiled as Carmen returned to normal. "At least she has returned to normal. All she needs now is rest. I can tell by her aura that she wants to fight."

 **Splendora's Base**

Echo chuckled as she watched Rave cower in his cage. "You truly are pathetic. Did you really think that you could get away with betraying the mistress? Tell me, why were letting the unicorn go? Don't tell me that she actually got to you."

Rave looked over at Echo and glared. "I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you."

"You should choose your words carefully." Echo said. "These shadow snakes should keep you company if you try to escape. Were you planning on helping your brother Rave?"

Rave growled and struggled against his bindings. "The only one that gets to kill him is me and I won't let anything stand in my way. You can't hold me here forever."

"We shall see." With that, Echo walked out of the dungeon.

Rave waited until Echo was gone before shifting his gaze to the stone floor below. _'Why was I going to let Rosella go? Before that moment, I would have captured her without any problems. Was it something she said? No, she was just trying to trick me. Somehow, she got into my head. I won't make that mistake again. Or perhaps, there is still a part of me that cares about my brother. No, that can't be it at all.'_

Splendora smirked as Rosella opened her eyes. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up. Did you truly believe that you would get away from me? Such a naive girl. Now then, I suggest you hand over that horn of yours."

Rosella slowly lifted her head and narrowed her eyes at the witch. "You will never have this horn."

"Is that so?" Splendora asked. "I wonder if he will feel the same way."

Within an instant, Alex appeared in front of Rosella. Opening his eyes, he stared in disbelief at her. "Rosella. What are you doing here?"

"Surrendering of course." Splendora said. "Give me your horn princess."

Rosella turned her gaze to the witch and shook her head. "I would rather die before giving it to you. Besides, my friends will stop you."

"You don't stand a chance witch." Alex said.

Splendora chuckled as a black dream-catcher appeared behind Alex. "I will get what I want fairy. You know what I am capable of princess. It makes me wonder just how much he can take." At that moment, a red aura flowed from Alex and into the dream-catcher. "I can turn all his dreams into nightmares. Are you ready to give me that horn now?"

Alex cried out in fear and struggled against his bindings. _'What is this feeling? I've never been so frightened before. It's as if everything in my mind has turned into nightmares.'_

"Leave him alone." Rosella said.

Splendora smiled a little and rubbed Alex's face. "I can't do that princess. You know what to do. That is, if you want to end his suffering." Within seconds, a cloud of red smoke surrounded Alex. "I can push him over the edge and force him to obey me."

Alex closed his eyes in an attempt to get away from his fears, but his mind still made them real. _'Nothing I do can make them go away. Rosella please, do not give in to this witch.'_

"You're the only one that can save him." Splendora said. "What will it be princess? I can kill him with his own fear. Your horn or his life."

Rosella let a few tears fall before sighing. "Alright, you can have it. Please, let me help him."

Splendora smirked as the crimson smoke disappeared. "That's a good girl." Within an instant, Rosella was set free. "You have one minute."

Rosella quickly ran over to Alex and used her healing magic to heal his mind. "Let him go."

"Give me your horn first." Splendora said, holding out her hand.

Rosella looked down as her horn appeared in her hand. "Take it."

Splendora smirked and took the horn, chuckling. "Excellent. Thanks to you, the entire Magix dimension will belong to me."

"Let Alex go." Rosella said. "You have what you wanted."

Echo appeared behind Rosella and smiled. "Not gonna happen princess."

"She's right after all fairy." Splendora said. "Why would I let him go? Now you can watch him die. Get rid of him Echo."

Echo smirked as a dark purple aura surrounded her. "With pleasure my mistress. Sonic Bolt."

Alex cried out in pain as the spell hit and fell to the floor.

"Alex?!" Rosella called, holding him close. "You have my horn. Why can't you let him go?"

Splendora laughed and kicked Rosella in the stomach. "It's quite simple really. I want your friends to come here, so I can destroy them. You all have been a thorn in my side for far too long. Red Fountain has already been taken down. Cloud Tower shall be the next to fall. Echo, bring me Zane."

Without hesitation, Echo disappeared into the shadows. _'This should be fun.'_

"As for your precious specialist." Splendora said, kicking Alex across the room. "Perhaps I should just kill him right now."

Rosella continued to cry as she watched Alex being kicked. "Why are you doing this?"

"You will find out soon enough." Splendora said.

 **Alfea**

"You're not doing so well Zane." Gale said, holding out a hand to help Zane up off the ground.

Zane looked away as he took Gale's hand and pulled himself up. "We should just forget about this training. The more time we waste, the stronger those witches become. Besides, we don't even know what has happened to Rosella. Alex could very well be dead right now."

"So much negativity." Catarina said, walking up beside Rachel.

Rachel sighed and turned her attention to Catarina. "I've never met anyone like him before. How's Carmen?"

"Carmen will be fine." Catarina said. "She just needs to rest. Maybe Zane needs a little more motivation."

Rachel smiled mischievously and laughed a little. "This should be fun." Without another word, she walked over to Zane and Gale. "I will take it from here Gale."

"Don't hurt him too much Rachel." Catarina said.

"What is she doing?" Helia asked.

"She's going to kick Zane into shape." Catarina said.

Zane sighed and shifted his gaze to Rachel. "Forget about it Rachel. There's nothing that anyone can do."

Rachel sighed and kicked Zane in the ankle. "Don't be an idiot. It's time that you stopped thinking that way. Even if I have to beat it out of you. Now then, let's get down to business. Just try to stop my attacks."

Zane shook his head and walked a few feet away from Rachel. "Fine. I just don't believe things are going to work out very well."

Rachel smiled as her hands began to glow a dark blue. "Let's find out what you can do. Crystal Blast."

Without hesitation, Zane quickly pulled out his whip and struck most of the crystals. However, he didn't notice the few that flew past his whip and struck his legs. "That hurt."

"You have to do better than that." Rachel said. "A hit like that can easily weaken your maneuverability. Luckily, those crystals weren't strong enough to do any real damage. Concentrate on what I do and try to predict what's going to happen."

Zane nodded and pulled the crystals out of his leg. "I'm ready."

Rachel smiled as a larger blue glow appeared around her hands. "Pay close attention Zane and react. Crystal Bolt."

Zane watched Rachel's movements and struck the crystals with his whip, before jumping to the side. "Is that all Rachel?"

"That's much better." Rachel said.

Gale joined the others and took a seat on a nearby bench. "I feel sorry for Zane."

"Rachel is doing great at breaking through to him." Helia said.

Catarina laughed as she watched Rachel. "That's Rachel for you. She's always been that way. If anyone can get through to him, it's her."

"How about we train together Catarina?" Stella asked.

Catarina nodded and took a step back from the group. "Charmix! Catarina, fairy of Aura."

"Don't think that I'm going to go easy on you." Stella said.

Catarina smiled, "I would be upset if you did."

"Magic Winx! Charmix!" Within an instant, Stella had appeared in her charmix transformation. "There's no need to go all out. It wouldn't really be fair if I used my bloomix against you when you're not even close to that level. Is that alright with you?"

Catarina nodded and flew up into the air. "I have to agree with you on that one. It will be nice to fight on even grounds."

"I wouldn't really call it even." Stella said. "I do have more experience than you do."

Catarina laughed as her hands began to glow a soft purple. "Let's get things started." The energy began to swirl around her hands, forming into a purple orb. "Aura Blast."

"Rising Sun." Stella formed a light sphere and shot it out towards Catarina's attack. When the attacks struck, they caused a small explosion and faded away. "It's going to take more than that."

"I'm just warming up." Catarina said. "Aura Shot." Within an instant, a beam of purple energy shot out at Stella.

Stella flew up above the attack and sent out a beam of her own, an orange one to be exact. "Ray of Sunlight."

Catarina saw the attack coming and moved to side, right before it struck. "This is getting interesting."

"Sun Wave Supernova." Within seconds, Stella's scepter began to glow before sending out a yellow ball of light.

Catarina was struck by the attack and was knocked down a few feet. _'I have to think of something quick. If I was fighting one of those witches, they wouldn't wait for me to attack. Acting quickly is my only chance of surviving.'_ Shaking off the attack, she flew around the courtyard and stopped behind Stella. "Aura Spike." Lilac spikes of energy struck Stella from behind and knocked her to the ground. "How's that?"

Stella returned to normal and started to catch her breath. "That was pretty good. I'm going to be feeling that attack for a while."

Catarina laughed a little and landed on the ground, returning to normal. "Sorry about that Stella."

"Ready for one last attack Zane?" Rachel asked.

Zane nodded and readied himself. "Whenever you're ready Rachel."

"Crystal Reflection." Within no time, crystals shot out at Zane and bounced off nearby surfaces. "The crystals will come from different directions Zane. You have to figure out the right way to react."

Zane noticed the crystals coming at him and used his whip to block most of them. However, a few of the crystals managed to strike and knock him to the ground. _'That didn't go as well as I planned.'_

"Are you alright Zane?" Rachel asked.

Zane winced in pain a little and nodded. "I'm fine. I was just caught off guard a little."

Before Rachel could get over to Zane, a menacing laughter filled the quad. "This isn't good."

"You're precious Zane won't be alright for long." Echo said, appearing behind Zane.

Rachel glared as a dark blue energy formed around her hands. "Stay away from him. Crystal Blast."

"How pathetic." Echo said, chuckling. "Let me show what true magic looks like. Sonic Echo."

Rachel cried out in pain and fell to her knees, along with everyone else. "Zane."

"Rachel?!" Zane called out, trying to stand up. His attempts were pointless due to the crystals in his side.

"We have to do something." Flora said, wincing in pain.

"Magic Winx! Bloomix!"

"Flora, Fairy of Nature."

"Stella, Fairy of the Shining Sun."

"Musa, Fairy of Music."

"Let's show this witch what we're made of." Stella said. "Light Spectrum." A beam of spiraling pink and yellow energy shot out towards Echo.

Echo smirked and quickly dodged the attack. "It's going to take more than that princess."

"Try this on for size." Musa said. "Infinite Echo." In that instant, a crescent-shaped purple sonic beam of energy shot out at Echo.

"Spring Shower." A multi-colored beam shot out towards the witch and combined with Musa's Infinite Echo.

Echo winced a little and smirked. "Not bad, but I'm not that easy to take down." It was then that shadow threads wrapped around everyone in the quad. "As much as I would love to destroy you all, I must go now."

"You will fail." Zane said, struggling to break free.

Echo looked down at Zane and kicked him in the stomach. "Did you really believe that you could get away? The little unicorn has already given up her precious horn. You fools don't stand a chance." She chuckled as a sound cage formed around Zane. "There is nothing these weaklings can do to stop my mistress." With that, she disappeared with Zane behind her.

"Zane." Rachel said, looking down. "It was my magic that weakened him."

Catarina placed a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "It's not your fault Rachel. We'll get him back. I promise."

"That witch used cheap tricks." Stella said. "She is so going to pay for that."

Rachel slowly stood up and stared up at the sky. "We can't wait any longer. Those witches have to be stopped."

"We can't just rush into things." Musa said. "Don't forget that some of us are still weak. We wouldn't stand a chance in our current state."

Rachel fisted her hands as tears flowed down her face. "I can't just stand by and do nothing."

"I think I know what's really going on." Catarina said. "You like him, don't you Rachel."

Rachel relaxed a little and glanced back at Catarina. "I don't know. Maybe. If something happens to him, I don't know what I would do."

 **Splendora's Base**

Echo appeared in front of Splendora and threw Zane on the floor. "Those pesky fairies actually thought they could save him."

Zane looked up at Splendora and glared. "They will stop you."

"I've already won little boy." Splendora said, rubbing his face.

 _'This is all my fault.'_ Rosella thought. _'All my friends are getting hurt and there's nothing I can do. Without my horn, I'm powerless. Please forgive me everyone.'_

"It's time for you to play your part in this Zane." Splendora said, as the shadow threads bound him to a large crystal. "Lucky for you, I can't do anything until sunset and that's not too far off. Leave them here to suffer."

Within an instant, the two witches disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke. Rosella, Zane and Alex were left all alone in the throne room. Rosella held Alex close and looked over at Zane. How could she possibly explain to him why she gave up her horn? In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if he hated her for it.

"Rosella." Zane said, wincing a little. "Why? Why did you give in to that witch? Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Rosella looked down and let a few tears fall. "You can hate me all you want Zane, but I had no choice."

"What do you mean?" Zane asked. "You always have a choice and you chose to give that witch exactly what she wanted. No one will be safe once she's obtained the horn's power."

Rosella continued to cry as Zane's words became harsher. "She was going to kill Alex. It was the only way to save him. I couldn't stand watching him suffer."

A look of shock came over Zane's face, causing him to look down. "Rosella. I'm sorry. It must have been hard for you. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that."

"It's alright Zane." Rosella said. "I'm sure that you would have done the same thing. Now, I'm far too weak to fight back and time is running out. I did manage to heal him, but he still hasn't woken up."

Zane glanced back over at Rosella. "Things will work out. Everyone has been training hard and Carmen should be awake soon. Someone will come to help us."

"Do you really think they will be able to win?" Rosella asked.

"We need to have faith in them." Zane said. "Only by working together can they stop them. And they're going to need our help."

"How can we help them?" Rosella asked. "I can't use my magic, Alex is unconscious, and you're tied to that crystal."

Zane sighed and smiled a little. "We will find a way. Try to stay positive alright."

"I hope you're right Zane." Rosella said. _'All I want right now is for Alex to open his eyes.'_

Rave opened his eyes and looked around, realizing that he was all alone. No one was coming to save him and no one cared about what happened to him. _'I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. At least the snakes have disappeared. No one in their right mind would come to my aid. Not that I actually care if anyone comes for me.'_

"How pathetic." Splendora said, appearing in front of Rave. "If it weren't for your betrayal, you would be free right now. It's a shame that your brother can't see you right or vice versa. Don't worry, he's not dead yet. Then again, he won't be waking up anytime soon."

Rave glared at Splendora and struggled to break free. "You won't hold me here forever."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Splendora asked. "Soon, no one will be able to stop me. You will remain my prisoner until the day you die." Laughing, she rubbed the side of his face before disappearing.

Rave shivered a little at Splendora's touch and relaxed when she left. _'I have to get out of here.'_

"If we do manage to survive this," Rosella began. "I want to help Rave."

"Why would you want to help him?" Zane asked. "He's evil and wants Alex dead. Rave was hunting you and he fooled everyone."

Rosella shook her head. "There is still good in him. He was letting me go before that witch showed up. Rave was trying to help me and I think there is still a part of him that cares for Alex."

Zane wasn't sure what to say at that point. If Rosella truly believe that Rave could be saved, then who was he to disagree with her. _'Letting Rave go is not a good idea. I can't forgive him for the things that he has done. Even if we save him, he will still continue to come after Alex. Rosella is too kind and I can't do or say anything to change her mind.'_

"You don't have to help him if you don't want to." Rosella said. "I will save him on my own if I have to."

A cloaked figure stood outside the tower, staring up at the great structure. _'And so begins the start of a new order. That is, if those witches are no stopped. I have to warn people about this. The question is, why haven't they attacked Cloud Tower?'_ Within seconds, the figure took off towards Alfea.

 _~~~Next time~~~_

 _The fairies and specialists must come up with a plan to rescue Rosella, Alex, and Zane. Someone from Rave's past pays him a visit. Just who is the mysterious stranger that showed up at Splendora's tower? Will Carmen awaken in time for the next battle? Find out next time on Scoutix Club. ~~~~~_


	15. Light of the Unicorn

_~~~Previously~~~_

 _Rosella has been taken captive by Splendora in order to save Alex's life. At the same time, Rave is being held in the dungeon. The fairies and the specialists have begun training in order to fight back against the witches. Everyone hopes that Carmen will awaken before it's too late. Zane has been captured by Echo and taken to Splendora. Now the fairies and specialists have until sunset to put a stop to Splendora's plans. During all of this, a mysterious stranger has arrived at the tower. ~~~_

 **Alfea**

"What do we do now?" Rachel asked.

Catarina sighed and glanced over at Rachel. "We will get through this and stop those witches for good. Everything will be fine."

"They could sure use a morale boost right now." Flora said.

Helia glanced over at Catarina and Rachel, looking down a little. "They will need all the help they can get."

"They could be pretty powerful if they worked better as a team." Musa said.

"Where has Rexx run off to?" Helia asked.

"That's no mystery at all." Gale said.

Colton laughed a little and let out a small breath. "In other words, he wanted to be with Carmen when she woke up."

Carmen slowly opened her eyes and looked around to find Rexx sitting beside her, asleep. 'He's sleeping. I shouldn't disturb him, but he does look adorable sleeping.'

About half an hour passed before Rexx awoke and smiled upon seeing Carmen. "How long have you been awake?"

"For about half an hour." Carmen said smiling.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Rexx asked.

Carmen smiled and placed a hand on the side of his face. "I didn't want to disturb you Rexx. Besides, you looked too adorable to wake up."

Rexx blushed a little and turned away. "Well, I'm glad that you're awake. Everyone will be happy to see you. They need some good news right now. Things aren't going too well. Those witches have Rosella, Alex, and Zane."

"Then let's get out there and cheer them up." Carmen said. "The only way that we can save them is by working together."

Rexx nodded and stood up. "Rachel is back as well. Rosella broke the spell that Splendora had on her."

Carmen slowly stood up and stumbled a little. "That's nice to know."

"Let me help you." Rexx said, holding on to Carmen and helping her outside.

Carmen looked around and smiled upon seeing everyone. "Why the long faces? You won't be able to fight looking like that."

"Carmen." Catarina said, hugging her. "It's so nice to see you."

Rachel smiled and hugged Carmen. "You look great Carmen."

"Ow ow. I'm still hurting a little." Carmen said, wincing a little.

A cloaked figure walked through the gate of Alfea, making sure to stay out of sight until inside. The figure walked into Faragonda's office and pulled down the cloak's hood.

"I see that you made it here alright." Faragonda said.

 **Splendora's Base**

Rosella continued to hold Alex close, hoping that he would awaken soon. She knew that even if she did have her magic, she wouldn't be able to get both Alex and Zane out of there. Each second felt like a needle to her heart. How could she possibly save herself and the boys now? She had finally gotten her wings, only to throw them all away. At this point, she was completely overwhelmed with sadness.

 _'Why won't he wake up? Perhaps my magic wasn't strong enough to heal him completely. Alex, you just have to wake up.'_

"Don't look so blue Rosella." Zane said. "Someone will come to save us and everything will be fine."

Rosella looked over at Zane and nodded. "Time is running out Zane. Do you think they will get here in time?"

"I don't know, but we can't let our fear get the best of us." Zane said. "We need to have faith."

"It's almost time Echo." Splendora said.

Echo nodded and looked out the window. "Those fools don't have a clue that their time is running out."

"By the time those fairies realize what's going on, it will be too late." Splendora said.

Rave winced in pain and looked around. _'I'm all alone and there's nothing to be heard. I don't like the way things are now. There has to be a way for me to break free.'_

"Water Bolt." Within an instant, the cage around Rave shattered.

"Who's there?" Rave asked, trying to find the one that freed him.

"A friend."

Rave tried to stand up, only to fall back on to his knees. _'I'm so weak.'_

Aisha landed next to Rave and helped him up. "You shouldn't move around too much. I'm going to get you out of here alright."

"Aisha. We have to save the others as well."

"I know that Tecna. We have to hurry and find them."

Rave winced and looked up at the two fairies before him. "It won't matter. You don't have the power to stand up to the witches. Even with the power you have now, it won't work. There's not much time. You only have until sunset."

"He's right." Tecna said. "We need to regroup with the others and attack together."

Aisha sighed and turned her attention back to Rave. "Morphix Cage. Sorry about that, but it's the only way we can transport you safely."

"It's fine. I've been caged before." Rave said.

Without hesitation, the two fairies left with Rave and went straight for Alfea.

 **Alfea**

Aisha and Tecna landed in the quad, making sure to not move Rave too much. Rave could only glance around at everyone and glare a little. Before walking up to everyone else, Aisha and Tecna returned to normal.

"Aisha, Tecna. You made it here safely." Musa said.

"What's he doing here?" Catarina asked, referring to Rave.

"We found him in the dungeon." Tecna said.

Aisha glanced over at Rave and sighed. "He needed help and we couldn't just leave him there."

"He works for the witches." Rachel said.

"Why would they have him locked up?" Carmen asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

"It's possible that they set a trap." Helia said.

"Actually, that's not the case here."

"Miss Faragonda. What do you mean?" Flora asked.

"It's true that this boy was working for the witches, but they have turned on him." Griffin said.

"Miss Griffin. When did you get here?" Stella asked.

"I came through the gate a few minutes ago." Griffin said. "You just didn't notice me there."

Catarina turned her attention to Rave and sighed a little. "What do we do with him?"

"Let's get him healed up." Gale said.

"What are you thinking Gale?" Rexx asked. "He's our enemy."

"Alex would do the same thing." Gale said.

Colton looked over at Rave and then back to Gale. "Alex would do anything to save his brother."

"He may be our enemy, but he does know Splendora's tower inside and out." Faragonda said.

Rave looked up a little and glared even more. "As if I would ever help you."

"Someone sure has an attitude." Musa said.

Catarina sighed and walked over to Rave. She knew that somehow, she had to convince him to help. As she continued to stare at him, she began to see a energy surrounding him. His aura was a muddy red mixed with a muddy forest green, black, and a muddy blue.

"What is she doing?" Helia asked.

"It's what she does best." Rachel said. "She's reading his aura. It's how she knew that something was wrong when he impersonated Zane."

Gale watched Catarina work and smiled. "She's something special alright."

"You really like her Gale." Colton said.

Gale glanced over at Colton and nodded. "Yeah. She's incredible."

"She's just like you Gale." Rexx said. "And once this is over, we are going to find Colton a girlfriend."

Colton blushed a bright red and turned away from everyone. "You really don't have to do that."

"It's just what you need Colton." Carmen said. "You have to get past that shyness at some point and a girlfriend is a perfect way to do that."

Colton blushed even more and released a small sigh. "I really don't need your help."

"It's quite adorable when you blush Colton." Aisha said, laughing a little.

Faragonda smiled a little before a serious look appeared on her face. "You all must be ready for the battle ahead. Until then, you must stay alert at all times."

"Of course miss Faragonda." Tecna said.

Stella sighed a little and looked down. "All these battles are exhausting."

"There's something I don't get." Aisha said. "These witches have already attacked Alfea and even managed to destroy Red Fountain. Why haven't they attacked Cloud Tower?"

Griffin looked towards Cloud Tower before turning back to the others. "That is the question isn't it. We have no idea why they haven't attacked."

"Perhaps they are waiting until they gain more power." Rachel said. "They may want to save Cloud Tower for last."

Griffin nodded and pulled the hood up on her cloak. "You may be right. That is why I must go and make sure the students are ready for an attack." With that, she made her way through the gate and towards Cloud Tower.

"How are we supposed to defeat these witches?" Flora asked. "They were able to take us down without breaking a sweat. Well, we know what one of them is capable of."

"I'm not sure how, but we will find a way." Musa said.

Faragonda nodded and started making her way back inside. "I have faith in all of you. You must work together to solve this problem."

"I could design a magic algorithm to increase our potential power output." Tecna said. "It may take a few days to complete."

"What did she just say?" Carmen asked.

"I believe that's Tecna speak for increasing our magic power." Stella said. "It makes my head hurt just thinking about it."

Rave began to chuckle a little and smirk. "That won't work. First of all, let's get something straight here. I'm the one that took down Red Fountain. It wasn't exactly what I was planning, but it worked perfectly. Second, you don't have days to figure this all out. After sunset it will be too late for you to stop them."

Rachel glared at Rave and fisted her hands a little. "I've just about had enough of him."

"Catarina. What does his aura say?" Gale asked.

"He has a lot of built up anger." Catarina said. "I can sense a bit of jealousy and some sort of unforgiving nature to him. I'm also sensing that he's afraid of saying how he truly feels. All in all, I don't think he's that bad at all."

Rave glared, keeping his gaze on Catarina. "Don't talk like you know me. You know nothing. And just so you know, I enjoyed taking that wretched school down. I was hoping to get rid of my brother, but destroying the place was a bonus."

"You said that after sunset it would be too late." Helia said. "What did you mean by that?"

Rave smirked and turned his attention to Helia. "The ritual of course. Splendora can only gain the power of the unicorn horn at sunset. She already has all the pieces in place and time is ticking down. Haven't you figured it out yet? None of you are strong enough to take them down."

"I'm going to heal you Rave." Catarina said. "And then you are going to help us get inside that tower."

"Why would I help you?" Rave asked. "I don't have to do anything. Actually, taking down that pathetic school was the best thing I have ever done."

Helia glared and readied his laser glove. "I'm about to show you just how pathetic you think Red Fountain is."

Without hesitation, Brandon ran over and placed a hand on Helia's shoulder. "Take it easy. He's just trying to get a reaction."

"Helia." Flora said. "He wants to see your anger. Don't give him that satisfaction."

Helia sighed and relaxed a little. "We can figure this out without him."

"There isn't time." Aisha said. "He's the only one that can get us inside without those witches knowing we're there."

Catarina kept her gaze on Rave as her hands started to sparkle. "Sanatio Aura." Within a instant, all of his Rave's wounds were healed.

Rave stood up and looked around a little. "Why would you help me?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." Catarina said. "There is a kindness to you that wants to come out. Will you help us?"

Rave looked down a little then back up at Catarina. "It wouldn't matter. By the time you get there, it will be too late. They can't be stopped. Why would I want to help you anyways?"

"They betrayed you." Rexx said. "And I'm sure that you would want revenge for what they did to you."

Rave smirked and released a controlled amount of shadow magic, destroying the cage around. "You're right. I do want revenge, but I won't help you. Thanks for healing me, but I really must be going." With that, he took off through the gate and headed towards Splendora's tower. On his way out, he dropped what looked to be a dark red crystal.

"I kind of saw that coming." Rexx said. "There was no chance of him helping us and there's only fifteen minutes left before sunset."

Gale took notice to the crystal and picked it up. "Maybe he did help us after all. Have you seen this kind of crystal before Rachel?"

Rachel took the crystal and examined it. "There seems to be a magic trail within this crystal. It's a crystal used for instant travel and it looks like it leads inside Splendora's base."

"Rave dropped it on purpose." Catarina said. "I think he was giving us a way in. And there's no time to waste. We have to go now. Stay on guard and be ready for a battle."

"Magic Winx! Enchantix!"

"Flora, fairy of nature."

"Stella, fairy of the shining sun."

"Musa, fairy of music."

"Tecna, fairy of technology."

"Aisha, fairy of waves."

"Carmen. Catarina. Let's go." Rachel said.

"Magix!"

"Catarina, fairy of aura."

"Rachel, fairy of gemstones."

"Carmen, fairy of volcanoes."

Within an instant, everyone in the quad was transported inside Splendora's tower.

 **Splendora's Base**

"Be careful everyone." Flora said. "We don't know what could be lurking in here."

Without hesitation, they all made it to the throne room. Upon entering the room, they spotted Rosella, Zane and Alex. Before they could even get close enough to help, shadow binds wrapped around them and pulled them to the floor.

"Did you really think that you could come here without us knowing?" Splendora asked, appearing in front of them. "How pathetic? I wanted you to come here and watch as everything you care for crumbles."

Echo appeared beside Splendora and laughed. "I expected more from the Winx."

"Your time is up." Splendora said, placing Rosella's horn in front of the crystal. "This dimension will belong to me."

At that moment, shadow threads pulled Rosella on to a crystal opposite of Zane. Once she was secured, a single thread of dark red magic flowed between the crystals and on to the horn. It was then that the crystals started to glow and release a charge of dark energy. The released energy caused Rosella and Zane to cry out in pain. It wasn't long before the energy of the horn transferred to Splendora, increasing her power.

"We have to do something." Carmen said, struggling against her bindings.

Without hesitation, Colton summoned his javelin and cut himself free. "We need to stop this before she reaches full power." Before saying another word, he quickly released the others and turned his attention to Alex. "There's Alex."

"You're not stopping anything." Echo said. "Sonic Bolt."

"Bloomix!"

"Morphix Mega Wall." Aisha quickly blocked the attack, keeping her gaze on Echo. "Get to Alex. We will deal with this witch."

"I will get him." Rexx said, running over to Alex and moving him out of harm's way. "Come on Alex. Wake up."

"Shadow Slash." Rave appeared behind Rexx and used magic to knock him across the room. "You fool. You're all mine now brother. Time to end you once and for all."

"Rexx?!" Carmen quickly flew over to him and held him in her arms.

"I'll be fine Carmen." Rexx said, slowly standing back up. "Focus on stopping the flow of magic energy."

Carmen nodded, flying up into the air with Catarina and Rachel. "Let's show this witch what we can do."

"Aura Blast."

"Crystal Bolt."

"Lava Beam."

The attacks struck the crystals, only to bounce back and knock them back a few feet. Shaking off the pain, they readied for another round of attacks. This time, they separated and focused on different points of the crystal that Rosella was trapped on.

"Hold on Rosella." Catarina said. "Aura Shot."

"Lava Attack Shield."

"Crystal Blast."

"Guys, deal with Rave." Aisha said. "We got this witch. Water Bolt."

Rave laughed and placed his foot on Alex's throat. "Try anything and I will break his neck."

"Get away from him." Rexx said, summoning his chakrams and throwing them at Rave.

"Dark Shield." Rave quickly put up a shield and smirked. "And you were so close."

"Aero Blade." Gale used his wind tonfa to blast Rave back against a wall.

"That was great Gale." Colton said.

Echo laughed and turned her attention on the Winx."I'm going to enjoy this. Sonic Echo."

"Infinite Echo."

"Ray of Pure Light."

Rave growled a little and stood back up. "I'm just getting started." Smirking, he summoned his shadow sais. "Shadow Strike." He then charged at Gale and pierced him in the shoulders.

Gale cried out in pain and kicked Rave off of him. _'I feel so strange.'_ At that moment, he fell to the floor and began to sweat heavily.

"Gale?!" Rexx called out.

Rave chuckled and stood up once more. "Can you feel it? My shadows can be quite toxic. Now then, where was I?" He made his way back over to Alex, holding the blades to his neck. "That's right. I was getting rid of my brother."

"I'm not going to let you." Helia said as laser strings pulled Rave's arm back.

Rave sighed and turned his attention to Helia. "Haven't we already been through this? I'm just going to break free again."

Colton made his way up behind Rave and used his javelin to knock him unconscious. "That's one problem solved."

"Is that all you got fairies?" Echo asked, laughing a little. "Sound cage." Smirking, she watched as the cage trapped Musa and Tecna.

"Light Spectrum."

"Morphix Net."

Echo quickly dodged the attacks as shadow threads wrapped around Stella and Aisha. "You don't stand a chance against me."

"Stella!" Brandon rushed over to Stella, only to be trapped inside a sound cage himself. "That didn't go as planned."

"Lilac Vortex."

Echo winced in pain a little and set her sights on Flora. "I won't be defeated by a petal pusher. Sonic Bolt."

Flora cried out in pain as she was pushed back a little. "Chlorophyll Bolts."

"Sonic Echo." Echo chuckled as Flora was knocked to the ground unconscious. "Not even the mighty Winx can stand up to me."

"Flora?!" Helia ran over to Flora and held her close. "Get up Flora."

"What a bunch of weaklings." Echo said. "I expected so much more. You can't even stop me. What makes you think you can stop Splendora?"

Alex slowly opened his eyes and looked at Rosella. "Rosella." He winced a little and slowly stood up, making his way over to Rosella. "Hold on. I'm coming."

Echo turned her attention to Alex and couldn't help but laugh. "It doesn't matter what you do now. You don't have the strength to save her or yourself." Looking over at Splendora, she smirked as the power transfer was completed. "Time is up fairies."

"I'm here Rosella." Alex said as he cut her free and held her close. "We will find a way through this."

Rosella slowly opened her eyes and smiled upon seeing Alex. "You're awake. I was...worried...about...you..."

"Come on Rosella. Everyone needs us now." Alex said.

Splendora chuckled and turned her attention to Alex. "Your precious little fairy can't do anything to stop me. None of you can. Nightmares will rule this entire dimension. Let's find out just how much she loves you. Nightmare Orb."

Rave opened his eyes and slowly stood up. _'I'm the only one that can kill him.'_ Without hesitation, he jumped in front of Splendora's attack and cried out in pain. The only thing he could see around him, was a bunch of snakes.

"I never expected Rave to block an attack like that." Splendora said, laughing at Rave's pain. "He only has ten minutes to live and there's nothing you can do to help him."

 _'He took the attack for us.'_ Alex thought. _'Why would he risk his life like that? I thought that he wanted me dead.'_

"Now's your chance Rachel." Catarina said. "Get Zane out of there."

Rachel nodded and flew over to Zane, using a crystal to set him free. "Can you hear me Zane?"

Zane slowly opened his eyes and smiled a little. "I'm happy to see you Rachel. The witches are too strong. We don't stand a chance against them."

"Don't talk like that Zane." Rachel said. "We can't stop fighting or everyone will suffer."

A look of shock came over Zane's face. He just couldn't believe how they would still keep fighting, even when knowing the odds were against them. Looking down, he fisted his hands a little and glanced around at everyone. How could they hope to defeat the witches if even the Winx didn't have the power to stop them?

"There's only eight minutes left of Rave's life." Echo said, chuckling a little. "Who should be the next to fall? How about the flower fairy? Sonic Echo." As the attack was about to strike Flora, it was blocked by a blue shield. "Why you."

"Volcanic Attack."

"What took you so long Sky?" Helia asked.

"We had to deal with a few nightmare creatures." Sky said.

"What's the deal with these witches?" Bloom asked.

"Be careful Bloom." Stella said. "They are a lot stronger than they look."

Alex could only stand by as Rave continued to suffer within the orb. "I have to save him."

"It's too dangerous Alex." Rosella said. "You wouldn't survive inside there."

Alex turned away from Rosella and fisted his hands. "He's my brother Rosella. I can't stand by and do nothing. I promise that I will come back, but you need to have faith in me."

"Please hurry then." Rosella said.

Alex nodded and made his way into the nightmare orb. _'Where could he be? I only have five minutes left to find him and get out of here.'_ After looking around, he took notice to Rave and ran over to him. "Rave."

"Stay away from me." Rave said, glaring at his brother. "You will die by my hand alone."

Alex sighed and held Rave close. "You can hate me all you want brother, but I will always care for you. How can you do anything if you die here? There isn't much time left to argue. Use my strength to help you get out." Alex made his way out of the orb, only to fall on the floor in pain.

"Alex?!" Rosella held him in her arms and started to cry. "You have to get up."

Rave looked down, then over to Rosella. "He can't hear you. My brother gave me all the strength he had left. Rosella, he's dying and there's nothing you can do to save him."

"I can and will save him." Rosella said, slowly standing up. "Please watch over him Rave."

Splendora and Echo laughed while listening to Rosella's words. What could she possibly do anyways? They had already taken her power and she could barely stand up. It was then that shadow threads wrapped around Sky and Rave.

"You have no power Rosella." Splendora said, transforming into a mountain lion. "You're nothing more than a weak human. I'm going to end you right here and now." Within an instant, she had pounced on Rosella and bit into her shoulder.

Rosella cried out in pain and tried to push the witch off of her. "I won't let you win."

"Flame Storm."

"Deal with that fairy Echo." Splendora said, clawing Rosella's cheek.

"Rosella?!" Carmen quickly flew over to Rosella and kicked Splendora away, causing her to return to normal. "You should be more careful Rosella."

"Rachel." Zane said. "We have to get to Rosella's horn. Without it, she won't be able to transform. That is, if there is any magic left in it."

Echo turned her attention to Bloom and glared. "Try this on fairy. Sonic Blast."

"Unstoppable Fire." Bloom blocked the attack, only to be knocked back a little. "It's going to take more than that."

"Sonic Echo."

Bloom cried out in pain and she hit the wall behind her. "Flame Storm Vortex Burst."

Echo was caught off guard by the attack and knocked on to the floor. "I'm not finished yet. Sound Cage." She laughed as a cage formed around Bloom. "You can't escape."

"I'll keep Echo distracted." Rachel said. "Go for the horn Zane."

Zane nodded and quickly took off towards Rosella's horn. 'Almost there.'

"Nightmare Dream Catcher."

Zane cried out in pain as all his dreams became nightmares and fell to his knees. _'There's no where for me to run.'_

"Stay strong Zane." Rachel said. "It's not real."

"Sonic Blast."

"Crystal Shield." Rachel blocked the attack and focused her attention on Echo.

"That's a cheap trick Splendora." Catarina said, glaring a little. "Aura Blast."

Splendora laughed, keeping her gaze on Catarina. "Crimson Shield." She smirked and moved even closer. "Let's find out what you are afraid of. Nightmare Spider."

Catarina fell to her knees as she was surrounded by a lot of loud noise. "Stop it."

"Catarina!" Gale ran over to her and held her close. "Fight it Catarina. I know you don't like this noise, but that's all it is. You are stronger than this."

"Take this Splendora. Lava Beam."

Splendora smirked as another shield formed in front of her. "How pathetic little fairy. Crimson Smoke."

"Listen to me." Colton said. "This smoke feeds off fear. Only courage can defeat it. You have to face your fears."

Zane shook his head a little and started making his way to the horn once more. _'I can do this.'_

"I don't think so Zane." Echo said, as shadow threads shot straight out at Zane.

 _'I won't give up.'_ Zane thought, summoning his whip and striking the threads. "Not this time Echo. Feel the thunder."

Echo cried out in pain from the shock and fell unconscious. _'I will get him for this.'_

"That was great Zane." Rachel said.

Zane released a small and grabbed Rosella's horn. "Yeah. The only thing left to do now is take down Splendora." He then looked around and noticed that all the sound cages and shadow threads had disappeared. "Defeating Echo canceled out her magic."

"We can worry about that later." Rachel said. "Rosella needs her horn."

Zane nodded and ran over to Rosella. "I don't know if it will help, but it does belong to you."

Rosella took the horn from Zane and smiled a little. "There's still time Zane. It will be enough to save Alex." Within an instant, the horn disappeared and reappeared on her head. "Back where it belongs. There isn't enough magic to transform, but I can still heal. Healing Light."

"You may have your horn fairy, but you still can't stop me." Splendora said. "None of you can stop me."

 _'She's right. None of us have the power to stop her.'_ Rosella thought. _'At the same time, she's completely wrong.'_

"What are you thinking Rosella?" Carmen asked.

"None of us stand a chance against this witch." Rosella said. "That is, not on our own. We have to work together."

Splendora laughed and focused her attention on Rosella. "You pathetic little girl. What makes you think that you can win?"

"I don't know, but I won't stop fighting." Rosella said.

Splendora smirked and floated up in the air. "As much as I would love to stay and destroy you, I have other plans." Laughing, she took off out the window, heading towards Cloud Tower. As she got further away from her tower, the crimson smoke started to fade until it was no more.

Catarina slowly stood up and shook her head a little. "That was very unpleasant."

"We have to go after her." Rachel said.

"And do what exactly?" Rave asked. "You couldn't win in your current state. Splendora will kill you and she will not hesitate. Then again, have fun getting destroyed." Laughing a little, he started making his way to the exit.

"You're not going anywhere Rave." Zane said, standing in front of him.

Rave glared a little and started to chuckle. "And you're going to stop me. Good luck with that Zane. This isn't my fight at all."

Alex winced a little and opened his eyes, looking around at everyone. "What did I miss?"

Rosella smiled and hugged Alex. "I'm glad that you're alright, but there's no time to talk. Splendora is on her way to Cloud Tower."

Alex nodded and slowly stood up. "If that's the case, we have to get going."

"I can't believe this." Rave said, shaking his head. "You can barely stand up, let alone fight. And little Rosella can't use magic. Only fools would challenge Splendora now."

Rosella glared a little and turned to Rave. "Magic or not, I'm fighting back. I won't stand by and do nothing. You may not care what happens Rave, but the rest of us do and you are going to help. Like it or not, Splendora is an enemy to all of us. Put aside your vengeful pride and help us defeat that witch. After that, you can do whatever you want."

"I didn't know she had it in her." Rachel said.

Catarina smiled and looked to Rachel. "This side of her was there all along. All she needed was the right push in order for it to come out."

"Rosella doesn't want to feel weak and useless anymore." Flora said. "She wants to keep fighting and help her friends."

A look of shock came over Rave's face as Rosella spoke. He couldn't believe just how much fire she had. It was like looking at a whole new person. "Fine, but this doesn't change anything."

"Friendship Flame." At that moment, a pink, fire-like energy ball appeared and dropped pinkish-purple droplets on Rosella. "It's only temporary Rosella, but it will give you a better fighting chance."

"Thanks Bloom." Rosella said, as wings formed on her back. "I understand Rave, but I do hope that you will change your mind about revenge. It's about time that witch was taken down."

 **Cloud Tower**

"Stay strong girls." Griffin said. "We can not allow this disgrace of a witch to defeat us."

Many witches gathered around Cloud Tower and awaited the arrival of Splendora. None of them knew what to expect from Splendora and no one wanted to ask. As Splendora grew closer, the witches readied their magic for battle.

"How pathetic." Splendora said, hovering above the school. "Do you honestly think that you have enough magic to defeat me?"

Without hesitation, the witches attacked and completely missed. Splendora could only laugh as more and more attacks were fired at her. Nothing seemed to be making a dent at all, causing some of the students to flee inside.

Griffin glared at Splendora and attacked with a powerful spell, knocking the nightmare back a little. "Cloud Tower will not be taken down so easily."

"The Winx couldn't defeat me and neither can you." Splendora said, laughing even more. "Nothing will stop me from reaching my goal."

"Volcanic Attack!"

"Spring Shower!"

Splendora growled a little as the attacks knocked her down a few feet, turning to the fairies. "Haven't you had enough yet? No matter. I will destroy you all. Nightmare Rain."

"That won't work." Stella said. "Ray of Pure Light." Within an instant, the rain disappeared.

Splendora smirked and prepared for her next attack. "You haven't won yet fairy."

"Aura Blast!"

"Lava Beam!"

Splendora winced a little as she was knocked back. "Is that it? I expected so much more. Take this." Within an instant, she fired off a stream of crimson energy at Flora.

"Organic Shield!"

"Thanks Tecna." Flora said.

Tecna nodded and turned her attention back to Splendora. "All her attacks seem to be only long range. If we get close enough, we should be able to deal even more damage."

"Leave that to me." Catarina said. "Keep her distracted long enough for me to get close."

Rachel placed a hand on Catarina's shoulder and shook her head. "No Catarina. I will go alright. The others need you to guide them. It's the least I can do after what I've done."

"I don't even have to break a sweat." Splendora said, firing off another blast of crimson energy at Rachel.

"Energy Exoskeleton!" Catarina used her aura armor to absorb the strength of the attack. "Go on Rachel. We got your back."

Rachel nodded and moved to get behind Splendora. _'I can only hope this works.'_

"Not bad little fairy." Splendora said. "That armor of yours won't hold up for much longer. Let's see just how you well you fairies handle this. Attack my nightmare creatures."

"Spring Shower!"

"Take this witch." Rachel said. "Crystal Blast!"

Splendora cried out in pain a little and growled. "You'll pay for that fairy." At that moment, nightmare hawks attacked Rachel and Flora. "You don't stand a chance." She laughed as the two fairies hit the ground.

"Let's attack her together Carmen." Catarina said. "Aura Blast!"

"Lava Beam!"

"I have to help them." Rosella said. "You boys deal with the nightmare creatures."

 _'Rosella. She's willing to risk everything to put an end to all of this.'_ Alex thought. "Be careful Rosella."

Rosella nodded and flew off towards the others. _'I don't care what happens to me now. This magic won't last long, so I have to make it count for something.'_

"We have to keep those things off the girls." Alex said. "Rave, Rexx, you're with me. Gale, take Colton and Zane. You have to keep those creatures from moving any further."

Rave fisted his hands a little and glared at Alex. "Just because I agreed to help you, doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do." With that, he took off and joined in on the fight. _'This is completely pointless. No one can stop Splendora. The Winx are supposed to be quite powerful, but even they are having difficulty. As for the rest of those fairies, they're not even strong enough to make a scratch on her.'_

"Do you really think Rave can be trusted?" Gale asked.

"I'm not sure." Alex said. "He's not going to take off anywhere. I can tell that he wants to fight Splendora. You have nothing to worry about Gale. I will be keeping an eye on him the entire time." With that, he left and started firing arrows at the creatures. _'This has to work.'_

Everyone had left except for Gale, who was a little hesitant. "Watch yourself out there Alex."

"You're worried about Rave." Helia said.

Gale sighed a little and turned to his headmaster. "I don't trust him, but I do trust Alex. Something just doesn't feel right. Rave is up to something and I need to find out what."

"Alex isn't alone out there." Helia said. "Focus on these creatures for now. We can deal with Rave later."

Gale nodded and jumped into the fight, taking down creatures with his wind tonfa. _'Rave could easily try something once Alex turns his back. I don't like this one bit.'_ Before he could react, a nightmare wolf knocked Gale off his feet and pinned him down. "Tch."

"Hold on Gale." Zane said, using his whip to knock the wolf away. "Are you alright?"

Colton took down a few more creatures and made his way over to Gale. "You seem to be a little distracted Gale."

Gale shook his head and stood up. "It's nothing really. I was just caught off guard. Let's take down these creatures."

"There's no end to these things." Alex said, taking down a couple of nightmare spiders.

Rexx caught his chakrams and almost lost his balance. "Where could they be coming from? We won't be able to keep this up for much longer."

"They will keep coming until Splendora is taken down." Rave said. "I told you that it was pointless to fight them."

Splendora laughed and released a burst of energy, knocking the fairies back. "How pathetic. Try as hard as you want, but it won't mean anything. You will never have the power to defeat me."

Rosella fisted her hands a little and sent a blast of energy at Splendora. "You haven't won anything yet."

"Do you honestly think that worthless amount of magic will stop me?" Splendora asked, turning his attention to Rosella. "You are nothing without the magic of your precious horn."

"We're here for you Rosella." Catarina said.

Rosella looked to Catarina and nodded. "We have to work together and put an end to all of this." She then turned her attention back to Splendora. "It doesn't matter if I have my magic or not. I will never stop fighting until you are defeated for good. No. We will never stop fighting you. Give it everything you got girls."

"Aura Blast!"

"Magma Vortex!"

"Crystal Bolt!"

"Magic Attack!"

Splendora cried out in pain a little as the blasts knocked her into a nearby tower. "That wasn't half bad fairies, but you will have to do better than that."

At that moment, the magic Rosella had borrowed faded away and caused her to fall to the ground. _'I can't believe the magic wore off already. This could very well be the end for me.'_

"Rosella?!" Without hesitation, Alex quickly made his way over to Rosella and caught her before she could hit the ground. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Rosella smiled a little and looked down. "I know that Alex and I'm happy that I met you. That witch is right. Without my magic, I can't do anything. How can we stop her now?"

"There is always a way and we will figure out how to get through this." Alex said. "Trust me."

Splendora turned her attention to Rosella and smirked. "It's time for you to die." Within an instant, she shot a ball of energy at Rosella.

Alex took notice to the ball of energy and quickly pushed Rosella out of the way, taking the full blast of the attack. "I...will...always...protect...you..." Wincing in pain, he fell to the ground and started to bleed heavily.

"Alex?!" Rosella quickly made her over to him and held him in her arms. "What were you thinking?"

Alex looked up at Rosella and smiled a little. "I couldn't just...stand by...and...let you...get hurt..."

Rosella began to tear up as she tried to stop the bleeding. "You didn't have to do that for me Alex. Why would you risk so much?"

"Listen to me Rosella." Alex said, wincing in pain. "You can...still win. I'm a...hero. It is...what I do. Besides, you mean...so much...to me..." Coughing a little, he tried to smile. "Your horn is...very...special. Believe in yourself...and you can...stop her..."

Rosella nodded and brushed a few strands of hair out of Alex's face. "Without my magic, I can not do anything to help you."

"Rosella." Gale said, running over to them. "I'll watch over him alright. Go take that witch down."

Alex winced a little and smiled once more. "I love you...Rosella..."

"And I love you." Rosella said as she started to glow. "What's going on?"

Splendora growled a little and shielded her eyes. "What is this light?"

"It must be your horn." Gale said, shielding his eyes a little. "Try to transform."

"Magix!" Within an instant, Rosella had transformed and was hovering in the air. "Rosella! Fairy of Unicorns!"

"Put a end to this Rosella." Alex said.

When the light faded, Rosella was hovering in front of Splendora. "This ends now Splendora."

Splendora chuckled and focused on Rosella. "You have your magic back. It's not like it matters. I'm still a lot stronger than you."

"Winx. Take care of these nightmare creatures." Catarina said. "Let us deal with this witch."

Rave looked around and spotted an opening, taking off into the distance. _'I have no intention of sticking around here any longer.'_

Within seconds, the Winx had flown down and started taking out the creatures. One by one, the creatures fell and continued their advance on the tower. At the same time, the specialists had gathered around Gale and Alex.

"You underestimate me witch." Rosella said. "But first..." Turning her attention to Alex, she smiled and used her magic to heal him. "Healing light."

Alex watched as his wound healed and looked up at Rosella. "Thank you."

"Take it easy buddy." Gale said, helping Alex stand up.

Splendora glared at Rosella and sent a blast of energy at her, only to be blocked by a crystal shield. "That won't protect you for long."

"I'm not about to let you win witch." Rosella said. "Take this. Light Arrow!"

Splendora winced a little and laughed. "It's going to take more than that fairy. Nightmare Rain."

"We have to work together girls." Catarina said. "Are you ready Rosella?"

Rosella nodded as a pink energy surrounded her. "Attack with everything you got girls. Unicorn Rush!"

"Crystal Reflection!"

"Magma Vortex!"

"Aura Spike!"

The girls kept their gaze on Splendora as their attacks converged into one. "Magic Convergence!"

Splendora cried out in pain as the nightmare creatures faded away and she crashed to the ground. "This isn't over fairies."

"You will never hurt anyone ever again Splendora." Rosella said, watching as the witch was taken away to the Fortress of Light. "It's over." After landing on the ground, she ran over to Alex and hugged him. "Thank you for giving me strength."

Alex smiled and gently kissed Rosella. "You had the strength all along Rosella. You just needed to see it for yourself. The nightmares are over now. Let's just enjoy all the time we have together."

"This calls for a party." Carmen said.

"Why must you always have a party?" Rachel asked.

"It sounds like a great idea." Catarina said. "Let's go get everything set up."

Rave watched the happy interactions and glared a little. It was a little too much for him to handle, but it did give him an opportunity to get away. _'I have to get out of here without anyone noticing. Although, I doubt they will notice if they are busy with their little romances.'_ Once he was sure no one was looking, he took off towards the forest.

"Catarina." Gale said, hugging her from behind.

Zane looked around, taking notice to the fact that Rave was gone. "Alex. Rave is nowhere to be seen."

Alex sighed and looked down a little. "I was hoping that I could get through to him. He only used us to escape."

"There's still a chance that we can catch up with him." Rexx said.

Alex smiled a little and shook his head. "Let's leave him be for now. I got a feeling that we're going to run into Rave once more."

"Come on now. We have a party to get to." Stella said.

The fairies laughed a little and headed straight for Alfea, where a massive party was waiting for them. Rave was far off in the distance, staring down at the college with a smirk on his face. Splendora was locked away and everything was peaceful once more. As for Echo, she was in for a surprise when she woke up. Cloud Tower was restored to its former glory and everyone went about their business. The party itself lasted most of the night, ending with a concert from the Winx. There was dancing, music, and lots of food for everyone to enjoy. It was the end of the school year and everyone began saying their goodbyes, until the next time that they would meet.

Deep within the darkest parts of Magix, a large amount of dark energy began to gather. At the center of it all, stood five cloaked figures. Lightning cracked in the sky and thunder could be heard in the distance as they chuckled. A new adventure was about to start and no one knew it yet.

"The time has come for us to take this dimension by storm. These fairies won't know what hit them. They thought they had gotten rid of us, but now we are back and we are here to stay. Do not forget our mission and stick to the shadows. We wouldn't want anyone to know about us until it is too late."


	16. S2: A Mysterious Beginning

**New Characters:**

 **Lyon:** Specialist: Terra Nunchuks

 **Abigail:** Fairy of Harvest

 **Felicity:** Fairy of Healing

 **Zaven:** Father to Alex and Rave

 **Moira:** Stepmother to Alex and Rave

 **Daniel:** Fairy of the Deep Oceans

 **Collectors: Villains**

 **Asher:** Leader of the Collectors

 **Ulrik:** Collector Terra

 **Neva:** Collector Snow/Witch of Snow

 **Krista:** Collector Shadow ( character belongs to HeartStorm4Ever )

 **Draegan:** Collector Inferno

 **Alfea**

A girl with flowing brown hair, green eyes, and tan skin stepped off the bus, releasing a small breath. She looked around before walking through the gate and smiling. She wore a green, single-shoulder crop top and mini skirt with white capris and green flats. Seeing all the people made her happy and all she could think about was how many friends she could make.

 _'This is the start of a brand new year. I'm so glad that I was invited to attend here and everything is so beautiful.'_

At the same time, a girl with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes, made her way into the quad. Her outfit consisted of a pastel blue, knee length dress with spaghetti straps, and light gray ankle boots. Looking around, she took in all the sights and made her way through the gate.

 _'Hopefully things will go great around here. Everyone knows about what happened last year, and we can only hope that nothing like it happens again.'_ Without paying any attention, she bumped into the brunette girl and lost her balance a little.

"Watch where you're going."

The brunette girl fell to the ground and shook her head a little. Looking up, she took notice to the blonde girl. "I'm sorry. My name's Abigail."

The blonde sighed a little and helped Abigail up off the ground. "Call me Felicity. Now if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be." Felicity made her way around Abigail and walked inside. _'I hope that I don't end up in a room with her.'_

All the students gathered in the main hall and awaited miss Faragonda's arrival. Once the welcome speech was over, they all started making their way to the dorms. It didn't take long for Abigail to find her dorm and get settled. A few minutes later, Rosella, Catarina, Rachel, and Carmen walked in the room.

"You must be one of our new roommates." Catarina said. "I'm Catarina and these are my friends. Rosella, Rachel, and Carmen."

Abigail nodded and smiled a little. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Abigail."

"It's nice to meet you Abigail." Rosella said.

Rachel and Carmen put their stuff away and walked back into the main room. Carmen stretched out and looked to the door. "We're still waiting on one other person."

Felicity made her way through the dorms until she found her room. Walking in, she became annoyed when she saw Abigail. "We meet again. I was hoping that I wouldn't be stuck in a dorm with you." Without another word, she walked into her room and sat down on the bed.

"What was her problem?" Rachel asked.

"She's mad because I accidentally bumped into her." Abigail said.

 **Somewhere Deep in the Forest**

A young fairy was running through the forest in order to escape the one chasing her. She continued to run until she tripped over a large root. Upon hearing her pursuer getting closer, she quickly got up and started running once more. After running for what seemed like forever, she came to a cave and tried to hide inside.

 _'If only my wings weren't completely soaked. I never should have flew through that waterfall. Hopefully he won't find me here. What can I do? My magic isn't strong enough to take him on.'_

"Come out little fairy. You can't hide from me forever." The male walked into the cave and smirked upon seeing the tip of her wings. "I will take what I want from you."

The fairy released a small breath and slowly peaked out behind a rock. _'I don't see him anywhere. Where could he have gone off to?'_

"Looking for me fairy." The male stood in front of the fairy and smirked. "Your essence is now mine."

The fairy cowered in fear, keeping her gaze on the male before her. "Stay away from me."

"I'm going to take your essence, but there is something else that I want from you." At that moment, a dark red aura formed around the fairy. "This won't hurt little fairy." Within an instant, her fairy wings disappeared. "Your wings now belong to me."

"Why are you doing this?"

The male laughed and gently lifted her chin. "Because I love fairies. I find you all to be quite fascinating. Now then, I believe you still owe me that essence of yours." At that moment, a puddle-shaped gemstone appeared in front of the fairy. "You will never be able to use magic again."

All she could do was stare at the gemstone before passing out. _'All my magic is gone. I can only hope that someone will find me.'_

"Lucky for you, I have no interest in those pathetic wings of yours. However, that won't stop me from taking them." The male chuckled once more and left the cave. _'Her wings weren't even that great. She was nothing but a pathetic excuse for a fairy. I want fairies that are more special than that.'_ With that, he disappeared into darkness.

 **Red Fountain**

"Looks like everything is back together again." Rexx said. "You can barely tell it was destroyed in the first place."

Gale smiled a little and looked around. "There are still plenty of repairs to be done Rexx."

"That may be true, but biggest part of the school has been taken care of." Alex said.

Zane sighed and looked down a little. "Don't forget that Rave is still out there Alex. He's likely to come after you again."

"What happened to Echo?" Colton asked.

"She's in the same place as Splendora." Gale said. "I doubt she was too happy to be locked up."

Alex looked up at the sky and folded his arms. "I know that Zane, but he's still my brother. Rave will return and I will be waiting for him. There's still a chance that I can get through to him."

"Everything will work out fine. I'm just excited about seeing Carmen." Rexx said smiling.

Zane sighed and shook his head a little. "Don't let your feelings for your brother distract you. Perhaps there is still good in him."

"Talk about naive." Walking up behind them was a young man with short brown hair and green eyes. He wore a green long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. "Ever think that maybe he doesn't want anything to do with you."

Alex turned to the newcomer and glared a little. "No one asked you. Who are you anyway?"

The boy smirked and focused his attention on Alex. "The name is Lyon. Don't forget it." With that, he chuckled a little and walked off.

"What was that guy's problem?" Rexx asked.

"I'm not sure." Gale said. "Let's just hope that we don't have to deal with him. Don't let that guy get to you Alex."

Zane watched Lyon leave before turning back to Alex. "It would seem as if he just wants to cause trouble. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

Alex sighed and looked down at the ground. "What if he's right?"

"I'm sure that Rave will come around." Colton said. "You just have to give him time. Why not talk to Rosella? I'm sure she would love to hear from you."

Alex turned to Colton and smiled a little. "You're right Colton. Talking to Rosella would take my mind off things." With that, he pulled out his phone and called Rosella.

 **Alfea**

Rosella heard her phone ringing and quickly answered. "It's great to hear from you Alex."

" _I just needed to talk to you. How have you been?"_

Rosella sat down on her bed and sighed a little. "Aside from getting new roommates. I was staying with Catarina for a while. I've missed you."

" _And I've missed you Rosella."_

"And what about you? How are things on your end?"

" _I've been searching for Rave with no luck. It seems like he doesn't want to be found. And then this new guy has to start causing trouble."_

"You will find him again Alex. I know you will. And I believe that there is still good in him. If there wasn't, he would have killed you when he had the chance. As for this new guy, don't worry about him. He might not have meant anything he said."

" _I will try to get along with this guy Rosella. And I believe that you're right about Rave. He's out there somewhere and I will find him. I just hope that I can get through to him."_

"You will get through to him. Just believe in yourself alright."

" _Sure thing Rosella. Let's meet up this weekend. Spending time with friends is what I need."_

"I agree. And I'm sure everyone else will as well. I will see you then. Bye Alex."

" _Same here. I can't wait to see you. Bye Rosella."_

 **Forest**

Two cloaked figures made their way through the forest until they came to a cave. Without hesitation, they walked inside and took a look around. Due to how dark the cave was, it was quite difficult for them to see.

"Do you see anything?" A female voice asked.

"It's too dark to see anything in here." A male voice answered.

The woman sighed a little and pulled her hood down. She had light blue hair flowing down to her waist and brown eyes. Without hesitation, she formed a orb of light and looked around. "That should make things easier. Do you see anything Zaven?"

The man pulled down his head and looked around. He had black hair reaching down to his shoulders and dark blue eyes. "Nothing so far Moira. Something does feel off in here. I can sense two different sources of magic. There must be something here."

Moira continued to look around until she came upon an unconscious fairy. "Over here Zaven. She needs medical attention."

Zaven made his way over to Moira and gently picked up the fairy. "We'll take her to Alfea. I'm sure that someone there could help her."

"It's strange." Moira said.

"What is it?" Zaven asked.

"I can't sense her magic at all." Moira said. "It's like it has completely disappeared without a trace."

Zaven looked down a little before turning his attention to the cave entrance. "That is strange. How about this? You take her to Alfea alright."

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm heading to Red Fountain. Alex doesn't know that we're back yet and I need to see him. It would be better if I go alone for now. You know how he feels about you." Zaven said.

Moira nodded and picked up the fairy. "You do what you have to Zaven. Just be careful alright." With that, she disappeared in a flash of light.

 _'I just hope that Alex is alright. He might where Rave is.'_ Zaven disappeared in a block of ice and released a breath upon appearing at Red Fountain. _'Besides, the schools need to know what's going on.'_

 **Lake Roccaluce**

A young man with light turquoise hair and light blue eyes walked up to the waters edge. He wore a light blue long sleeve shirt, turquoise pants, light blue boots and a coral pendant around his neck. Staring out across the water, he sighed and kept his gaze on Alfea. _'Perhaps I should go there. I've already been accepted, but I'm not sure if I really want this. I left my family for this and now I'm having second thoughts.'_

Lurking in the shadows behind him was a cloaked figure. _'I could easily handle this guy. It's time for people to know we're here.'_

"What are you doing here Neva?" A female voice asked as another figure appeared behind her.

Neva smirked a little and pulled down her hood. She had light blue spiky hair and light blue eyes. "I was just going to have a little fun with this boy. Can't you sense the magic he has Krista?"

At the moment, the other figure pulled down her hood and smiled a little. She had long purple hair with light purple bangs and yellow eyes. "Of course I can Neva. This guy is kind of cute. He must be one powerful wizard. Unfortunately, we have no business going after him. We're supposed to be keeping an eye out. Or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten anything Krista." Neva said. "There's no harm in having a little fun along the way. What about you? Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Krista glared a little and leaned up against a nearby tree. "I still have plenty of time to get to Red Fountain. And you are supposed to be at Cloud Tower. We have to infiltrate each school and make sure no one learns of our plans."

"We only have to get inside Red Fountain and Cloud Tower." Neva said. "Our great leader won't allow us to get close to Alfea. I would love to rip those pathetic fairies to shreds."

Krista smiled a little and released a small breath. "As much as I would love to pick off a few fairies, I have to resist. We can't allow the fairies to know what we're doing. If we tried to get inside Alfea, we could easily blow our cover. Let's leave the boy alone and get on with our missions."

Neva sighed and nodded. "Fine. We can play with him some other time." Within an instant, both of them disappeared without a trace.

Faragonda made her way to the lake and smiled upon seeing the young boy. "Are you sure that you don't want to stay in Alfea?"

The boy nodded and stretched out a little. "That does sound nice, but it's probably best that I camp out here. I'm not sure how things will go if I stay there. Thank you."

Faragonda nodded and looked down at the water. "In that case, you will be given private lessons out here. That is until you're ready to come to the school. Just be careful out here Daniel."

Daniel nodded and watched as miss Faragonda walked away. _'It would be strange if I were to stay within Alfea. I'm one of the few male fairies left in the magic dimension. Not to mention that I would be the only one. Besides, I don't mind staying out here. The water is my home after all.'_

 **Deep Within The Mountains**

"Are you sure those two can be trusted?" A male voice asked from the shadows.

"Relax Ulrik." A male voice replied. "Everything will work out."

A figure stepped out of the shadows revealing a young man with long green hair and blue eyes. He wore a brown short sleeve shirt with a piece of black fabric attached to the bottom, brown pants and black boots. Around his neck was a black choker with a red amulet attached to it.

"Those two could easily ruin everything for us." Ulrik said. "Their feelings towards the fairies and specialists could get in the way of their mission. Was it truly wise to send them in as spies?"

The male smirked and chuckled a little. "Do you question my orders Ulrik? Do not forget where you stand. Next time I might not be so forgiving. Lucky for you, I still need your abilities. Keep an eye on those two and take no action unless I say."

"I will do as you ask." Ulrik said, disappearing into the shadows.

A small chuckle could be heard as the mystery male watched Ulrik leave. "Everything will fall into place. Those fairies won't know what hit them."


	17. Rising Darkness

_~~~~~Previously~~~~~_

 _A new year has begun and some new faces have arrived. Alex has hopes of finding his brother and the new guy, Lyon, has put him down a little. Two new fairies, Abigail and Felicity, have arrived at Alfea and are already enemies. A new evil has arisen and threatens the lives of all fairies. And who is Daniel really? Find out now. ~~~~~~_

 **Dark Castle**

A lone figure sat upon a dark throne, with only torches to light the room. "Draegan. I have a mission for you."

Stepping out of the shadows was a young man with spiky red hair, parted to one side. As he stepped further into the light, his yellow eyes began to shine. He wore a red long sleeve shirt with a scale design and a black gem in the center. The rest of his outfit consisted of black pants with a scale design, red boots, and a black choker with a red amulet attached.

"What do you wish of me my lord?" Draegan asked.

"There is a certain boy that I want you to find." The figure smirked a little before continuing. "Convince him to join us. He could prove to be quite useful. This boy is hiding out in Gloomy Wood Forest. Do not fail me Draegan."

Draegan nodded and disappeared in a burst of flames. _'This should be interesting.'_

"Soon we will make our presence known."

 **Alfea**

"You girls are never going to believe what I heard." Carmen said, running into the dorm.

"What time is it?" Rachel asked.

"It's only six in the morning." Carmen said.

Rachel sighed and sat up in bed. "What could possibly be so important that you have to wake us up this early? Classes don't start until nine today."

"Is she always up this early?" Felicity asked.

"Don't ask me. I really hope this isn't a everyday thing." Abigail replied.

Felicity sat up and sighed a little. "That is definitely one thing we can agree on."

Within a matter of minutes, all the girls walked into the living room and took a seat. They were all half asleep, except for Carmen. None of them could understand why she had so much energy and they didn't want to know.

"Why couldn't you wait until later to tell us your news?" Catarina asked.

Rosella rubbed her eyes and yawned a little. "Hurry up and tell us what you heard Carmen?"

Carmen laughed a little before speaking. "There's talk of a new student."

"Is that really what you woke us up for?" Rachel asked with a annoyed tone.

"It's the beginning of the year Carmen. Someone always talks about the new students." Catarina said.

Carmen sighed and sat down in a nearby chair. "That's not what I mean. Apparently, this new student isn't even staying here. Whoever this person is has decided to camp out at Lake Roccaluce. And they are even getting private lessons."

"Now that is interesting." Felicity said.

Abigail nodded and stretched out. "Why wouldn't this person stay here at the school?"

"That is an interesting question." Catarina said. "Maybe they are nervous about coming here."

Rachel stretched out and stood up. "Well, there's no point in going back to sleep. We have three hours until class starts. What should we do in the meantime?"

"We could go for a nature hike." Abigail said.

Felicity crossed her arms and leaned back against the couch. "That doesn't sound great at all."

"I think it sounds like a great idea." Carmen said. "We might even run into the mystery student."

"Where does all that energy come from?" Rachel asked.

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Daniel awoke and walked to the edge of the water. _'It's only a little after six, but I'm wide awake. At least I have some free time before my lessons start. It is a little strange being here, but I could get used to things. I have to learn how to use my magic.'_

"Are you always up this early?" A male voice asked.

Daniel turned around and smiled upon seeing his brother. "What are you doing here Asher?"

Asher smiled and walked up to the water. He had red hair tied up in a high pony tail and blue eyes. His outfit consisted of a black long sleeve shirt, black pants, black boots with a red sole, red gloves, and a red cape.

"I wanted to see you on your first day Daniel. Why are you out here?"

Daniel sighed and looked out across the water. "It's better for me if I stay out here. I'm not sure if I could handle being around all those girls. Besides, I would stick out like a sore thumb."

Asher laughed a little and stretched out. "You're quite the lucky one brother. Daniel, you should be proud to be here. Although, I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be around all those girls. I'm sure that you could easily find a girlfriend."

"I have no interest in that sort of thing." Daniel said. "I will wait a little while before going to stay at the college. It's just that, I don't want to draw any attention to myself."

Asher sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just be careful Daniel. I heard about a fairy being attacked the other day. The attack happened not too far from here."

"You don't have to worry about me Asher." Daniel said. "I promise that I will be careful. There are very few people that know I'm a fairy after all."

Asher nodded and turned his attention to the water. "This place reminds me of home. Don't forget to drop in every now and then. Well, I should get going. I will see you some other time." With that, he turned and walked off. _'You have no idea what is really going on dear brother.'_

 **Gloomy Wood Forest**

Rave sat up against a tree and stared up at the sky. _'Why did I let him live? At least no one has found me out here yet. Besides, I will have another chance to take him down.'_

"You must be the one I was sent here to find."

Rave quickly jumped up and looked around as his sais formed in his hands. "Who are you? Show yourself."

Draegan chuckled a little and stepped out into view. "Do you actually think those little knives of yours will be enough? Relax alright. I didn't come here to fight you."

"I won't ask again." Rave said, glaring a little. "Who are you?"

Draegan sighed and pulled out his phoenix dagger. "My name is Draegan and you are Rave. Am I right?"

Rave narrowed his eyes and stood ready to attack. "How do you know who I am?"

Draegan snickered, keeping his eyes focused on his dagger. "I am quite familiar with your family. And I heard about everything that happened last year. Taking down Red Fountain is quite impressive, but it's not very original. Tell me something. Why did you let your brother go?"

"That's none of your business." Rave said.

Draegan smirked and looked up at Rave. "Perhaps you just weren't strong enough or maybe you have a soft spot for him."

Rave growled a little and threw one of his sais at Draegan. "I do not have a soft spot for him."

Draegan took notice to the sai and caught it between his fingers. "What if I told you that I knew someone that could help you get rid of him?"

Rave wasn't sure what to do next. He was completely shocked that Draegan was able to catch his blade so easily. "I'm not interested in anything you have to offer. I will deal with my brother on my own terms."

Draegan examined the sai in his hand before throwing it back at Rave. The blade struck him in the shoulder, pinning him to the tree. "You will be coming with me whether you want to or not. My master is very interested in you and I have no intention of going back empty handed." Smirking a little, he charged at Rave and stabbed him in his other shoulder.

Rave cried out in pain and struggled to get free. "Release me."

"Don't make things even harder for yourself." Draegan said. "You're not going anywhere. If you're going to put up this much of a fight, I have no other choice. Phoenix Fire Cage." At that moment, a cage of fire formed around Rave. "Don't even think about trying to escape from that." He then pulled out the blades and took a step back.

Rave winced in pain and fell to his knees. "What's happening to me? I feel so weak."

"This is a special cage." Draegan said. "It drains the energy of anyone inside. I told you that you would be coming with me."

Rave struggled to stand up, only to fall to the ground. _'I can't move.'_

Draegan smirked and grabbed on to the cage. "I don't fail my missions. Too bad for you." Laughing, he disappeared into flames.

 **Red Fountain**

"Spending a day with Rosella will make me feel so much better." Alex said.

Rexx smiled and nodded his head. "It will definitely be nice to get out and spend time with the girls."

"Someone seems to be a little excited to see Carmen." Gale said, smiling a little.

Rexx chuckled a little and placed his hands behind his head. "Don't act like you're not happy to see Catarina."

"Do you only think about girls?" Zane asked.

Alex laughed and stretched out a little. "I'm sure that Rachel is on your mind Zane."

"We need to work on finding Colton a girlfriend." Rexx said.

Colton blushed a little and turned away from the others. "You really don't need to do that. Besides, I'm really shy when it comes to girls."

"You will be fine Colton." Alex said. "We'll be there to help. Rosella did say that they were bringing along some new friends."

Zane sighed and focused his attention on what was in front of them. "I do want to see Rachel, but that doesn't mean that I spend a lot of time thinking about girls."

"Perhaps we should invite Lyon." Colton said.

"Why would you want to invite him?" Alex asked. "I was hoping to get away from that guy."

Gale sighed a little and shook his head. "It sounds like a good idea to me. The least we could do is try to be friends with him."

"I will try to be friends with him alright." Alex said. "Although, I highly doubt that he will want to come with us."

Zaven looked up at the school and released a small breath. Upon taking notice to Alex, he smiled a little. "Don't tell me that you're giving up before you've even tried."

"Dad." Alex said. "What are you doing here and where have you been?"

Zaven sighed and crossed his arms a little. "It's a long story. Have you seen your brother?"

"Not since last year." Alex said. "He took off without a trace."

 _'I wonder why Zaven has showed up here.'_ Saladin thought.

"Do you know him?" Helia asked.

Saladin nodded, keeping his gaze on Zaven. "His name is Zaven. He was missing for a while. And I doubt that he's here for a visit. Something seems off."

"I see." Zaven said. "I will tell you everything some other time. Right now I have business to take care of. Just be careful alright. There's something strange going on." Without saying another word, he walked off out of sight.

"What was that all about?" Rexx asked.

"I'm not sure." Alex said. "Let's stay alert alright. If something really is going on, we need to be ready."

 **Meanwhile**

"It's good to know you're alright Zaven." Saladin said.

Zaven smiled and nodded. "It's nice to see you Saladin."

"What brings you here my friend?" Saladin asked.

"Someone is targeting fairies." Zaven said. "Moira and I found a young girl unconscious. She was definitely attacked by something, but we can't be sure what."

Saladin looked out the window, lost in thought. "I could sense that something was wrong and you have just confirmed my suspicions. Where is Moira now?"

"On her way to Alfea." Zaven said. "However, that's not the worst of it. Whoever attacked her, took her essence."

"Essence?" Helia asked.

"Fairy essence." Saladin said. "It's the source of their magic. Without it, they are left powerless and completely defenseless. Our top priority must be figuring out who or what is behind this. Until then, the fairies will need to be protected."

"What would someone want with fairy essence?" Zaven asked.

"I have no idea, but it can't be good." Saladin said.

 **Alfea**

Moira carried the young fairy into the hospital and gently laid her down. "Stay strong young one."

"What happened to her?" Ofelia asked.

"I can't be sure." Moira said. "All I know is that her essence has been stolen."

Ofelia gasped and turned to the fairy. "Not much can be done until her essence is restored."

"I know." Moira said. "That's why I have to talk to Faragonda."

Ofelia nodded and watched as Moira walked off. _'How could this have happened?'_

Moira walked into Faragonda's office and took a seat. "Good afternoon Faragonda."

"Moira." Faragonda said. "It's good to know that you are safe. What did you need to see me about?"

Moira nodded and sighed a little. "It's about the girl I brought in. Someone is gathering fairy essence."

"That is a serious problem." Faragonda said. "However, we must keep this a secret from the students. The last thing we need to do is start a panic."

Moira tried to relax, but the thought of the danger completely frightened her. "I understand. However, we will have to tell them at some point. What about that boy, Daniel? It would not be safe for him to stay out in the open."

"I completely agree Moira." Faragonda said. "However, Daniel's situation is complicated. He wouldn't be comfortable staying here at the school. Keep in mind that he would be the only male fairy attending."

Moira stood up and turned her attention to the window. "And that is why he needs to be here. A male fairy is very rare to come by. If the wrong person were to find out, he would be in danger."

"Perhaps there is a way to convince him, but we mustn't rush things. Whoever is stealing fairy essence will need him, if the legend is true."

Moira released a small sigh and nodded. "There is a high chance that the legends are true. Let's just hope that whoever is behind this, can be stopped before then."

 **Dark Castle**

A shadowy figure appeared in front of Rave's cage and just stared, smirking a little. At this point, Rave was too weak to open his eyes. The effects of the phoenix cage had almost completely drained his energy. He couldn't even be sure as to why he was targeted in the first place. It was true that he wanted revenge against his brother, but he wanted to do things his way. The figure grabbed on to the bars and laughed a little.

"Look at how pathetic you are. That's right, you can't even open your eyes. However, I know that you can hear me and you will do exactly as I say. You will find that trying to resist is futile. I want that brother of yours out of the way and you are going to get rid of him for me. And before you kill him, you will take his ice magic."

Rave winced a little and struggled to open his eyes. "I don't know who you think you are, but I don't take orders from anyone. I will deal with my brother on my terms." _'Ice magic? Why would this guy want ice magic from Alex? He doesn't even use magic unless his bow has given him some. There has to be another reason why this guy is so interested in Alex.'_

"I never said that you had a choice in the matter." Smiling a little, the shadow pulled out a blood red sword. "Do you know what this is?"

Rave looked towards the blade as a look of fear came over him. "That's a shadow blade."

"You know shadow weapons quite well, considering you use them yourself. Your blades should have overtaken you by now, but something is blocking it. This sword is infused with dark fire magic and I have complete control over it. I must say that you are strong to be able to resist the effects of the darkness. How long do you think you can keep it up? The shadow sais are evil and they will consume you. It's just a matter of time. Until that time, I control the shadows within you. In other words, you have no other choice to obey."

Rave could only listen to the words of the shadow, unable to move any longer. After a few minutes passed, his vision faded. _'He's going to use the shadows to control me. Why does this always happen to me? Someone is always trying to use me for their own personal gain. However, it's not like I have anywhere else to go. No one knows I'm here, not that anyone would come for me anyways. I'm starting to want Alex now. Something must truly be wrong with me. It's all because of that fairy, Rosella.'_

"Fall into unconsciousness Rave and let the shadows take control." With that, the figure disappeared and chuckled.

 **Cloud Tower**

"I can't believe that I'm actually here." Neva said, walking into the school. "The whole idea of being here makes me sick, but orders are orders." Chuckling a little, she made her way into her dorm and relaxed on a empty bed. _'This room once belonged to the legendary Trix. Now those were some witches I could get behind. It's a shame that they are no longer around.'_

 **Red Fountain**

 _'It would seem that all the schools are allowing students of both genders now.'_ Krista thought, staring up at the structure before her. _'I could give these boys a run for their money.'_ She made her way into her dorm, a room on the opposite side of the school, away from the boys. _'I even get my own personal room away from the idiots that attend her. Still, I don't like the idea of being here. Good thing this only temporary.'_

"Have you guys heard about the girl that is now attending here?" Rexx asked.

"I heard something about that." Gale said. "All the schools are starting to allow both genders of students. Alfea was the first to allow it. It's all because of some male fairy."

Alex looked over to Gale, with a small look of shock upon his face. "A male fairy. I didn't think any existed."

"There are only a handful of male fairies left." Gale said. "It's very rare that one is actually seen. No one knows who he is, aside from the teachers. It's a way of protecting him."

Lyon walked up to the three specialists and smirked. "I believe that he is too afraid to show himself. He sounds pretty pathetic if you ask me."

"That's not true and you know it." Alex said, glaring a little.

Lyon chuckled a little and turned his attention to Alex. "Is that so? He's pathetic, along with that brother of yours."

"If it's a fight you want, then bring it on." Alex said, attempting to punch Lyon. Before the punch could hit, he was stopped by Rexx and pushed back by Gale.

Gale stood between Alex and Lyon, trying to keep the peace. "Alex, you need to calm down. We don't need to fight between ourselves. Go somewhere and cool down."

"Let's go Alex." Rexx said, pulling him away from Gale and Lyon. "Forget about him alright."

Lyon snickered a little and watched Alex walk away. "Go ahead and walk away. You know I'm right."

"That's enough." Gale said. "You shouldn't talk about such things like that with him. And another thing, you shouldn't talk about someone you've never even met either."

Lyon turned his attention to Gale and glared a little. "So this is what you do. I only speak the truth."

"How can you speak truth when it comes to people you don't know?" Gale asked. "You don't act as if you even want to be here, but something tells me that you don't have a choice."

"You don't know me." Lyon said. "And I don't have to explain myself to you. He knows exactly what his brother is. All I did was say it out loud."

Gale sighed and shook his head a little. "And you don't know Alex. You have no idea what he's been through. Look, a few of us are heading into the city this weekend. You're welcome to come along if you want." Before Lyon could respond, he walked off in the same direction as Rexx and Alex.

Lyon watched Gale walk off and smirked a little. "As if I would actually want to hang around your little friends."

"I still don't think it's a good idea to invite him." Alex said.

Rexx crossed his arms and turned his attention to Gale. "I don't know how well things will turn out Gale. Perhaps inviting Lyon wasn't a great idea."

"Give him time you two." Gale said. "We don't know anything about him, but I have a good idea of where he's from."

"And where is that?" Alex asked.

"The dark half of Mystea." Gale said. "It would explain his aggressive nature. I've met people from there and he's just like them. Besides, he's part of our team and we must learn to work with him. Even if he doesn't want to."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

"It's almost time for my first lesson." Daniel said, staring at his reflection. He continued to stare at the water until a small stream of it hit him in the face. Wiping his face dry, he turned back to the water to find his pet turtle. "Sorry Milo, but I don't have much time left to play. I see that you are in your sea form. This is the perfect place for you. The perfect place for us both."

 **Forest Around Lake Roccaluce**

"I don't see any trace of anyone out here." Rosella said.

Carmen led the group of fairies, determined to find the mysterious male fairy. "He has to around here somewhere. I want to know who this guy is, before anyone else finds out."

"This forest is well taken care of." Abigail said, looking around at the scenery. "I can feel the magic that resides here."

Felicity rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I just want to get out of this place. Just the thought of getting dirt on this outfit is a nightmare."

"You can't always be neat and tidy Felicity." Rachel said.

Catarina smiled a little, making sure to take in every detail of the area. "It's beautiful out here. And Rachel's right Felicity. As a fairy, we never know where we will end up and sometimes you have to get dirty."

"I just want to go back." Felicity said. "This is pointless."

Carmen sighed and stopped in her tracks. "You didn't have to come Felicity. No one forced you to come out here."

"Carmen has a point." Rachel said. "You could have stayed behind, but you chose to come out here. Nature is a true gift and we have to respect it."

Felicity turned away from the others and closed her eyes. "I was already awake. It wasn't like I had anything better to do. Can we head back now?"

"If you want to go back Felicity, go right ahead." Rosella said. "I for one would like to stay out here a little while longer."

Catarina chuckled a little and placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder. "Go on back if you're ready to, but you never know what you might discover out here. How about we go to Lake Roccaluce before heading back?"

"Fine." Felicity said, sighing a little. "I'll go to the lake and no further. My feet are killing me."

The other fairies laughed and started walking in the direction of Lake Roccaluce, not knowing what they would find there. Abigail was hoping to see what sort of plants grew around the water and Carmen was still determined to find the mysterious fairy.

 _~~~~Next Time~~~~_

 _The Scoutix fairies arrive at the lake, only to find that someone has setup camp there. Meanwhile, classes start at all three schools. The specialists and fairies head to Magix City, only to spied on by a mysterious entity. During this time, another fairy is attacked and her essence taken along with something else very valuable. ~~~~~~_


	18. Path to Truth

_~~~~~Previously~~~~~_

 _While relaxing in Gloomy Wood Forest, Rave is attacked and captured by Draegan. Word has spread to the fairies and specialists about the male fairy Daniel. The Scoutix have gone in search of Daniel, while also taking a small hike. The leader of the Collectors has revealed to Rave that he will be consumed by the darkness. At the same time, the mysterious leader wants to use Rave to take out Alex~~~~~~_

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Milo swam around the lake a little before popping out of the water and squirting Daniel once more. The young turtle loved to play and only wanted to stay by his side. He continued to play until he took notice to the presence of others. At that moment, he dived under the water in order to avoid being seen.

Daniel laughed as he watched Milo play and dried his face. "It's not play time Milo." He watched Milo dive and quickly took a look around. The only thing that would cause Milo to dive was if there was someone he didn't know nearby. Daniel used his magic to clean up his campsite before taking cover himself. _'Who could possibly be out here? I have to hide until I know exactly who it is. I was told which professor would show up and shown a picture. I can't be seen by the wrong person.'_

The six fairies walked up to the edge of the lake and stared out across the water. Milo was watching the girls from underwater, hoping that they would leave. Daniel hid behind a rock, making sure to watch every move the girls made.

Carmen looked around the area, hoping to find some sign of someone being there. "It doesn't look like has actually been here. This isn't fair. I wanted to see the little fairy boy."

"He wouldn't be a little boy Carmen." Rosella said.

Catarina sighed a little and shook her head. "Rosella is right Carmen. If there truly is a male fairy, he would be around our age."

Abigail sat down by the waters edge and stared at her reflection. "It is quite relaxing out here."

"Alright. It is a little nice out here." Felicity said, rolling her eyes a little. "It's not exactly a luxury resort or anything."

 _'It's just a bunch of girls.'_ Daniel thought. _'Still, I can't let them know that I'm here. It's a good thing that I knew a spell to clean up my stuff. That orange-haired girl seems determined to find me.'_

"We should get back before class starts." Rachel said.

Carmen sighed and nodded. "Alright. Let's go back. We can always look for him after classes."

"You can look for him all you want." Felicity said. "I have no intention of coming back out here." With that, she turned and started walking back towards Alfea. _'These girls are just annoying.'_

Abigail smiled a little, making sure to take in everything around her. "I can feel all the nature around me. Everything seems to be in harmony."

Milo watched Abigail and smiled, swimming up to the surface in front of her. He then swam in circles and did all sorts of different tricks. Abigail watched the little sea turtle and smiled even more. She enjoyed watching Milo perform his tricks.

"He seems to like you Abigail." Catarina said smiling.

Abigail laughed a little and gently pet Milo's head. "This little guy sure is friendly. He just wants to play and make people smile."

Daniel watched Milo from his hiding spot and shook his head. _'What are you thinking Milo? The whole idea is to not get noticed.'_

"Time to go girls." Rosella said as everyone else nodded.

The girls took one last look around and headed back towards Alfea, following Felicity. Carmen was still disappointed that she didn't find who she was looking for, but her quest was far from over. They made their way back into school and straight to class.

Once the girls were gone, Daniel came out of his hiding spot and relaxed a little. "You could have gotten us both discovered Milo. It looks like we will need to find another place to camp out at, unless you want to find a place in the city. And the city doesn't has an open place like this for you to swim."

"Daniel." Faragonda said, walking up to him.

Daniel turned to look at Faragonda and calmed down a little. "Miss Faragonda. Did you need something?"

Faragonda released a small breath before responding. "I want you to reconsider my offer for you to stay in a dorm."

"I can't do that." Daniel said. "I would stick out like a sore thumb."

Faragonda looked towards the lake and shook her head. "I really must insist Daniel. There is something strange going on and I fear that you are in danger out here."

"Even so, I can't stay with all those girls." Daniel said. "I was never good around them."

Faragonda smiled a little, trying to figure out a way for Daniel to remain safe. "A young fairy was attacked Daniel. I can't be sure as to who was behind it, but her fairy essence was stolen. And I'm quite sure that the person behind it will come after you. Do you understand what that means?"

Daniel looked down and held his arm. "Unfortunately, I do. If someone is after me, then staying at Alfea would only put the other students in danger. It would be too easy to find me there. I can't risk it."

"Perhaps there is somewhere else you can stay." Saladin said, walking up with Helia and Zaven.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked. _'This place sure is popular today.'_

"You could come stay at Red Fountain if it makes you feel more comfortable." Helia said.

Daniel wasn't sure what to think at first. Staying at Red Fountain did sound like a nice idea, but he didn't want to be an outcast. After all, he would be the only fairy and he couldn't be sure how everyone else would react. Besides, he didn't want to put anyone else in danger.

"Thanks for the offer, but I have to decline." Daniel said. "I won't put people in danger."

At that moment, Milo popped his head out of the water and squirted Daniel. Daniel sighed a little and looked at his friend, shaking his head. Milo simply wanted someone to play with, not caring who was around to see. Actually, he wanted Daniel to accept an offer to stay somewhere else. The little turtle cared about his friend and didn't want to see him get hurt.

"It seems that your friend doesn't want you to stay here." Zaven said.

Daniel turned to Zaven and nodded. "I know. Milo has always been like that. He's been with me for a long time. He needs to be out here and I don't want to leave him alone."

"I can take care of him." Zaven said. "Being with others is better than being alone. It would help you blend in."

Daniel shook his head and held his arm. "I can't take the risk of someone finding out who I am."

"Staying out here increases that risk." Saladin said. "You would have allies, people you can trust. Take time to think about it, but be quick about it. The longer you stay here, the more likely someone will find out the truth."

Daniel nodded, focusing his attention on Milo. "I will think about it, but for now, I want to stay here."

"Be careful Daniel and keep an eye on everything around you." Zaven said.

Daniel stared out across the water and smiled a little. "You're telling me things I already know. Hiding just happens to be a talent of mine." Turning around, he watched as everyone left. _'Perhaps I should go to stay at Red Fountain.'_

 **Alfea**

"I'm so glad classes are over." Carmen said. "This gives us more time to look for that guy."

Rachel shook her head and looked at Carmen. "We can't keep going on scouting missions looking for this male fairy."

"Rachel is right Carmen. Besides, we have homework to do." Catarina said.

Carmen sighed and slumped down a little. "Don't remind me. I just really want to find the mystery guy."

Rosella smiled and looked out a nearby window. It was still bright outside and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. She was also curious about the mystery fairy and hoped that they would meet him. _'I wonder what he's like. That is, if the rumors are actually true. Something tells me that he does actually exist. It is rare for a male fairy to exist, but it's not unheard of.'_

"At least it's almost the weekend." Abigail said. "We will have plenty of time to look for this male fairy. Not to mention getting to go into Magix City."

Felicity rolled her eyes a little, turning her attention to the other girls. "I will go with you, but it doesn't mean that I have to like it. This doesn't make us friends either."

' _Is there ever a time when she doesn't complain?'_ Rachel thought. "You should be happy that we actually invited you. Why don't you stop complaining and try to get along with us."

Felicity shot Rachel a little glare and walked off away from the group. _'I have no reason to get along with them. Who does she think she is?'_

"Don't worry about Felicity." Catarina said. "I'm sure that she will come around at some point. Let's just think about how much fun we are going to have with the guys."

 **Red Fountain**

"Why can't it be the weekend already?" Rexx asked.

"You really want to see Carmen." Colton said. "Why don't you give her a call?"

Rexx sighed a little and looked to Colton. "It's not the same as seeing her face to face."

"The weekend will come and we will all get to see the girls." Gale said. "You just have to be a little more patient."

Alex laughed a little and stared out the window. "Seeing Rosella will make things a lot better. I still can't believe you actually invited Lyon Gale."

"I understand why you're upset Alex, but the least we can do is try to make friends with him." Gale said. "Things will work out for the better. Just focus on Rosella the entire time."

Zane walked into the room and leaned against the wall. "It would seem that Lyon is my now my roommate. This should be interesting."

"Man do I feel sorry for you." Alex said. "Although, I should be glad that I'm not stuck with him."

Zane crossed his arms, turning his attention to Alex. "You haven't even given him a chance. There could be a lot more to him than we think."

Lyon smirked a little, standing in the doorway. "You can believe what you want, but I have no intention of telling you anything. I've thought about it and I've decided to join you. Time away from this place would do me some good."

"It's good to hear that Lyon." Gale said.

Without saying another word, Lyon smiled a little and walked off. _'I just wanted a reason to get out of this place.'_ He continued to walk around, until he noticed Krista. _'So it is true, there is a girl here.'_ "This isn't a place for girls."

Krista turned to Lyon and smirked. "Well aren't you a gentleman, but you should learn when to keep your mouth shut. I'm just as good as any guy here, so why don't you run along to some fairy."

"I have no interest in fairies." Lyon said. "And you have quite the mouth on you. Maybe we should get together sometime."

Krista couldn't help but chuckle at Lyon's offer. "Aren't you the charmer. Like I would ever want to be with you. Although, I guess you could be of some use."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lyon asked.

Krista laughed some more and rubbed the side of his face. "You'll find out when the time comes handsome. For now, I will just leave you guessing." With that, she turned and walked off. _'You have no idea what I have planned for you. I just need to earn his trust and get close to the fairies.'_

 **Cloud Tower**

Once classes were over, Neva made her way outside and into an area where she could be alone. _'I wish Shadow would give me an order already. I'm getting tired of just waiting around here. This entire place is boring.'_

 _'Do not question my orders Neva. You will remain there until I say otherwise. We must keep an eye on all the schools and keep track of what they know.'_

Neva shivered a little upon hearing Shadow's voice. _'Of course. I will not doubt you.'_

 _'Your time to act will come soon. Wait for my signal.'_

 _'Certainly.'_ Neva thought.

 **Magix City**

"It's finally the weekend." Carmen said as the girls walked off the bus. "It feels so nice to be away from Alfea."

Catarina laughed a little and patted Carmen on the shoulder. "You just don't like doing school work."

Felicity rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Are you going to be like this the entire time?"

Rachel sighed and shot Felicity a little glare. "You can leave if you're going to be like that. We were kind enough to invite you. The least you can do is drop the attitude."

"Can't we all just get along?" Abigail asked.

Felicity shot Rachel a glare and crossed her arms. "Why don't you mind your own business? I'm here aren't I. Don't expect me to actually get along with any of you."

"Where are we meeting the guys?" Catarina asked.

"At the park." Rosella said, leading the way to the park. A few minutes later, the boys arrived in one of their ships.

Alex hugged Rosella and smiled. "It's nice to see you again Rosella. I've missed you."

Rosella smiled and laid her head on Alex's shoulder. "And I've missed you."

"Let's go for a walk." Alex said, taking Rosella's hand as they walked down the sidewalk.

Carmen smiled upon seeing Rexx and jumped into his arms, almost knocking him over. "You are definitely better than school work."

Rexx was a little surprised when Carmen jumped into his arms. Laughing a little, he smiled and kissed her. "It's nice to see you too Carmen."

Felicity leaned up against a tree and crossed her arms. _'What is wrong with them? They couldn't handle any real threat acting like this.'_

"You sure don't seem too happy." Lyon said, walking up to Felicity.

Felicity turned her attention to Lyon and glared a little. "I don't recall asking for your opinion."

Lyon smirked and leaned up against a tree opposite of her. "Are you always this friendly?"

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Felicity asked.

"Take it easy alright." Lyon said. "I was only making an observation. You sure acting like a spoiled brat though."

"Who's that talking to Felicity?" Rosella asked, looking back at them.

Alex looked towards Felicity and Lyon, glaring a little. "That's the guy I was telling you about. His name is Lyon and we're already off on a bad start."

"I am not a spoiled brat." Felicity said.

Lyon scoffed a little and smiled. "If you say so. Only spoiled brats have that sort of attitude."

"I guess that makes you one as well." Felicity said. _'What is with this guy? I'm not a spoiled brat. Do I really come off as being one? No. It can't be true.'_

Lyon chuckled a little and turned away from her. "Listen closely now babe. Where I come from, it's fend for yourself. You don't rely on anyone to get what you need. The only one that matters is yourself and you don't get close to anyone. And I don't lie about anything."

Felicity growled a little and stormed off. _'Who does that guy think he is? He has no right to judge me.'_

"Something tells me they didn't get along." Rosella said.

Alex nodded, keeping his gaze on Lyon. "That guy has that effect on people."

"Felicity isn't the most friendly person either." Rosella said. "Even so, I think that she really is a nice person deep down. People like that usually have a bad history."

Gale hugged Catarina and gently kissed her. "It's always good to be able to see each other. How are you doing Catarina?"

Catarina smiled before answering Gale's question. "Things have been great. Still, I have this feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"That makes both of us." Gale said, looking around at everyone. They were all off doing their own things, aside from Colton and Abigail. "Something is definitely wrong and I believe it's being hid from us."

Catarina nodded and sat down on a nearby bench. "Have you heard the rumors about the male fairy?"

Gale took a seat beside Catarina and sighed a little. "I've heard of him. Sorry to say that I don't know much more than that. All I know is that he actually exists and is hiding somewhere."

"Carmen has made it her mission to find him." Catarina said. "I always believed that he existed, but it is quite rare to see one."

Gale nodded and closed his eyes. "It is indeed rare. Something is definitely going on that we're not being told about."

Abigail glanced at Colton and blushed a little. _'He's sort of cute. What should I do?'_

Colton took notice to Abigail and smiled, walking up to her. "Hi. I'm Colton." _'She's cute, but I can't tell her something like that.'_

"Abigail. My name's Abigail." Abigail said, smiling a little. 'What should I talk about? I have no idea what to say. I've never actually talked to a boy before.'

Colton blushed a little and turned away. "Would you like to...go for a...walk...?"

"I'd love to." Abigail said.

Colton smiled and walked down a path with Abigail. "It's so peaceful here."

"Yeah." Abigail said. "The plants are lovely and the air is really fresh."

Colton nodded and looked around. _'I can't look at her.'_ "Yeah. It's really beautiful."

Abigail smiled and gently took Colton's hand. "You're nervous. I am too."

Colton blushed a little and pulled away from Abigail. "Just a little. I was never able to talk to girls, but I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable."

"That makes both of us Colton." Abigail said, smiling even more. _'What else should I say?'_

A shadowy figure appeared in the trees and watched the group. _'They all look so happy. Enjoy your time while you can.'_

"Do you think it wise to be out in the open like this?" Ulrik asked, appearing behind the figure.

Shadow smirked and glanced back at him. "They are all too busy to notice me here. Besides, they have no idea what's going on."

"They may not know what's going on now, but they will find out." Ulrik said.

"Let them find out. By the time they can actually do anything, I will already have what I want."

"And your target?" Ulrik asked. "How long do you plan to let him roam free."

Shadow lightly chuckled and turned back to the group. "He has no idea who I am or the role he plays in all of this. Unfortunately, I can't touch him until I have gathered everything I need."

Ulrik leaned up against a nearby tree and focused his attention on the group. "If you're not careful, they will figure out exactly who you are."

"You worry too much Ulrik." Shadow said. "Things will go exactly as planned."

 **Dark Castle**

"You sure are boring." Draegan said, staring at Rave through the cage bars. "And to think that Shadow has an interest in you. It's not like you're anything special. He only wants you around to deal with that brother of yours."

Rave slowly opened his eyes and shot Draegan a glare. "You have no idea who you're messing with."

Draegan laughed and shot Rave with a flaming arrow. "Shadow won't allow me to kill you, but it doesn't mean that I can't hurt you."

Rave winced in pain and turned away. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm just following orders." Draegan said.

Rave smirked and chuckled a little. "That's all. I was expecting something better than that. Actually I wasn't."

"I'm not the one in a cage." Draegan said. "And you will fulfill your end of the deal."

Rave glared, keeping his attention on red head. "I don't follow orders."

"We'll see about that." Draegan said.

 **Magix**

Krista appeared next to Ulrik and smirked when she spotted Lyon. "Why not take them all out right now? They are all separated and easy targets."

Shadow turned to look at Krista and glared a little. "They have strength in numbers Krista. Besides, we would reveal ourselves too early. There are still things to do within the schools."

"If that is what you wish." Krista said. "There's someone I need to see." With that, she walked over to Lyon. "Let me guess Lyon. You're charm failed you once again."

Lyon smirked and turned to Krista. "Are you following me? I don't mind the chase, but you are a bit clingy."

"I already told you that I'm not interested." Krista said. "If you truly want me, you can catch me in your dreams. Or at least try to get me."

Shadow watched Krista for a few minutes before turning back to Ulrik. "Keep an eye on them. I have work to do." With that, he disappeared into shadows. Within seconds, he appeared behind a young fairy and laughed. The fairy had transformed and was attacking him with energy orbs, only to fail miserably. "You're not even worth my time." He then called his shadow fire whip and struck the fairy down. "It's time to cause a little fright." At that moment, a lightning essence formed and was absorbed into Shadow's hand.

The girl cowered in fear, keeping her gaze on Shadow. "Stay back."

Shadow laughed, using shadows to lift the girl up off the ground. "Can't do that sweetheart. You have pretty wings. Too bad you don't get to keep them." Smirking, he proceeded to rip her wings off her back. "They will look nice in my collection."

As Shadow ripped off her wings, the fairy cried out in pain and watched as he faded away. Once he was gone, she fell to the ground with a thud. Looking around, she took notice to the puddle of blood she was laying in. Within a matter of seconds, she fell unconscious.

"Something's not right." Catarina said, quickly looking around.

"What is it Catarina?" Gale asked.

"We have to move fast." Catarina said, taking off with Gale right behind her. "I felt a shift in aura. Someone needs help." After searching around, she took notice to the girl on the ground. "Over here Gale."

Gale followed Catarina and knelt down beside the girl. "What could have happened to her? She's lost a lot of blood."

"I can't be sure, but we need to get her to Rosella." Catarina said. "Hopefully, she can stop the blood loss."

Gale nodded, wrapping his jacket around the girl and gently picking her up. "Let's hurry." With that, he hurried back to where Rosella was with Catarina.

"Rosella." Catarina said. "Please help her. She's already lost a lot of blood."

Rosella nodded as her hands began to glow. The wounds started to close, but it took a lot of energy out of her. "I can't keep going. There's something trying to keep me from healing her. It's almost as if it's draining my energy."

"Take it easy Rosella." Alex said, holding her shoulders. "You did what you could."

Catarina smiled and placed a hand on Rosella's shoulder. "It's alright Rosella. She's still bleeding out. There has to be a way to stop it."

Krista glanced over at the bleeding girl and laughed a little. "Exactly what every fairy deserves."

"People get attacked everyday." Lyon said. "One more attack isn't a big deal. Only the strong survive. Obviously, that girl is a weakling."

Felicity overheard what Lyon said and shot him a glare. "Could you care about anyone but yourself?" With that, she ran over to the unconscious girl and sat down on her knees. "These wounds are awful. Give me some space." Catarina and the others took a step back and watched as Felicity started to glow. "Healing Rain." Within an instant, the wounds were healed as the blooded faded away.

"That was amazing Felicity." Catarina said.

Felicity stood up and smiled a little. "Healing is my specialty. This girl had her wings ripped out."

"Who would do such a thing?" Rosella asked.

"I've been sensing a strange shift in aura lately." Catarina said. "Someone is hunting fairies and I get the feeling that they are just getting started."

 **Cloud Tower**

 _'Cause mayhem Neva.'_

Neva smiled upon getting her orders and started freezing things around her. She then walked out into the halls and froze everyone she came across. "This is far too easy." As she walked, everything froze around her.

 **Dark Castle**

Shadow appeared in front of Rave and smirked. "Are you ready to obey now?"

Rave looked up at Shadow and glared. "I won't allow you to control me."

"That's a shame." Shadow said, sending shadow flames towards Rave. "It won't be much longer until the shadows take you over."

Draegan smiled and leaned back against a pillar. "He's quite resistant."

"That may be so, but he won't be able to fight off the darkness for much longer." Shadow said. "We just need to push him closer to the edge."

Rave cried out in pain and fell unconscious once more. _'He's right. I can't fight back for much longer.'_

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Milo squirted Daniel with water a few times and swam around in circles. The turtle wanted him to leave the lake and go somewhere safe.

"Milo." Daniel said, drying his face. "I can't stay at any of the schools. It would be too dangerous. Besides, I'm different from everyone else. I'd be discovered in a heart beat."

Milo splashed Daniel and shot him a small glare. The little turtle knew that he had to figure out some way to convince his friend.

"Knock it off Milo." Daniel said, looking down a little. "This is where I'm supposed to be."

 **Magix**

"So much for trying to relax." Rosella said.

Catarina nodded and stared up at the sky. "It would seem that we're being dragged into another battle."

"It doesn't matter what comes our way." Carmen said.

Rachel nodded and joined the group. "Whoever or whatever is behind this won't stand a chance against us. We'll kick their butts for sure."

Krista growled a little and stormed off over to Ulrik. "I hate those fairies more everyday. And I was looking forward to watching that fairy die."

"Calm yourself Krista." Ulrik said. "Our orders are to keep from being revealed. Or do you have a problem with that?"

Krista shot Ulrik a glare and pulled out her boomerangs. "Keep pushing your luck plant boy."

Ulrik kept his gaze on Krista, not even flinching when she pulled out the boomerangs. "Do you wish to go against Shadow's orders? Like it or not, this is what we have to do. We need to keep appearances."

"That's easy for you to say." Krista said. "You're not stuck in a school full of goody goods. I can't stand any of them."

Ulrik smirked and glanced over at Lyon. "Is that so? It seems to me like you have a spot for a certain someone."

"That's not true." Krista said, throwing a boomerang at Ulrik's shoulder. She growled a little when he dodged it. "I just thought that he could be useful."

The young fairy slowly opened her eyes and started to freak out a little. "What's going on?! Where am I?!"

"Calm down. You're safe now." Catarina said.

"Where are you?!"

Catarina looked around at the group and then back to the girl. "I'm right beside you. My name's Catarina. How are you feeling?"

"I can't see anything."

"This is bad." Gale said. "Whatever attacked her has made her go blind. It could be a after effect of the magic used."

"Please. Help me."

"We're going to." Rosella said. "We have to get her back to Alfea. Maybe this can all be figured out there."

Alex nodded and gently picked up the girl. "Stay calm alright. My name is Alex. We can get there faster if we take the ship. Find Lyon and meet us there."

"I'll get him." Felicity said. "I know where he is." With that, she took off over to Lyon. "Are you coming or what?"

Lyon smirked and turned to face Felicity. "That depends babe."

"What are you talking about?" Felicity asked, becoming a little annoyed. "And don't call me babe."

"Give me a kiss and we'll see." Lyon said.

Felicity became frustrated with him and smacked him across the face. "You're one special kind of jerk. Now get moving."

Lyon smiled and followed Felicity back to the ship. _'She wants me.'_

Once everyone was aboard, they headed straight for Alfea. They figured that it was about time to get some answers. Hopefully, someone there would be able to help the blind fairy. Upon arriving at Alfea, the girl was taken straight to the nurse's office.

"And the wheels are turning." Ulrik said.

Krista smirked and watched the Scoutix leave. "I'd be happy if things were a little more exciting on my end."

"Your chance will come Krista." Ulrik said, disappearing into a tree.

Krista put away her boomerangs and fisted her hands when Ulrik left. "I hate when he does that." With that, she disappeared into shadows. _'There are a few perks to being part of this whole plan. I get to take down fairies and use shadow magic. And one of these days, I will take care of Ulrik.'_


	19. Terra and Inferno

_Check my deviantart for all character profiles._

 **Rosella:** This is quite a long episode.

 **Catarina:** We get to find out about a certain someone's past a little bit.

 **Carmen:** Oooo. Who is it?

 **Rachel:** We can't say Carmen. It must be kept secret.

 **Carmen:** But I want to know.

 **Abigail:** It wouldn't be a surprise if we revealed who.

 **Carmen:** * walks off and pouts *

 **Felicity:** Can we just get on with this already?

 _~~~~~Previously~~~~~_

 _The Scoutix take a trip to Magix and meet up with the specialists. Meanwhile, another fairy is attacked by the mysterious shadow. Once again, a fairy has lost her essence and wings. This time however, the girl has also lost her sight. The Scoutix and specialists make their way back to Alfea to get some answers. ~~~~~_

 **Alfea**

"I knew that you all would figure things out eventually." Faragonda said, looking at the group before her.

"What do you mean?" Rosella asked.

"You've known all along what's been going on." Catarina said.

Faragonda nodded and stood up. "That's right Catarina."

"Why not tell us?" Rachel asked. "We can handle whatever it is."

"The one behind the two attacks is more dangerous than you realize." Faragonda said.

 _'Why am I even here?'_ Felicity thought. _'This has nothing to do with me.'_

Lyon glanced over at Felicity and smirked, figuring that she was thinking the same thing he was. _'What is the point of being here? Who cares what happens to a couple of fairies?'_

"The attack today wasn't the first." Carmen said.

Faragonda nodded and stared out the window. "There was another attack at the start of the school year. Both attacks were caused by the same person, leaving each fairy without their wings and essence. The only difference being that the latest attack has left the fairy blind."

"Will she be alright?" Abigail asked.

"It will take some time, but her sight will return." Faragonda said.

"What is going on?" Rosella asked.

"Whoever is behind this seems to be more interested in Fairy Essence." Faragonda said.

"Fairy Essence?" Gale asked.

Faragonda turned around and closed her eyes. "Essence is the source of fairy magic. Without it, a fairy can not use any sort of magic. It would leave them highly vulnerable. If a large quantity of essence is gathered, it will disrupt the balance of all magic. Within the wrong hands, it can be used as a weapon."

"This person wants to take magic from fairies." Carmen said. "Why would this person want to take fairy wings?"

Faragonda sighed and looked at Carmen. "I have no idea, but I do know that they have to be stopped or more innocent people will get hurt."

"Perhaps this person takes them as some sort of trophy." Rachel said.

Catarina shivered a little at the thought and moved closer to Gale. "The whole thought of someone taking fairy wings frightens me."

"Let's just hurry up and take this person down already." Rachel said. "It couldn't be that difficult to find someone like that."

Zane pulled Rachel close, trying to calm her down. "We don't even know who this person is. It would be reckless to rush in."

"Take it easy Rachel." Faragonda said. "There is something more important that I need you girls to do."

"What could be more important?" Carmen asked.

"I'm sure that you've all heard the rumors about the male fairy." Faragonda said. "I need you to convince him to leave his camp. It won't be an easy task, but you must try. He is in terrible danger."

"And where can we find this guy?" Rachel asked.

"Right now he is at Lake Roccaluce." Faragonda said. "Take things slow with him. He can be a little shy around others. Whoever is taking essence, will be going after him as well. You have to convince him to go somewhere safe."

The girls looked at each other and nodded their heads. They had no idea what was waiting for them, but they knew that they had to act fast. Lyon and Felicity weren't happy about their situation, but they had decided to tag along anyways. It wasn't like they had anywhere better to be after all.

Faragonda watched as the fairies and specialists, hoping they would succeed. _'Good luck everyone.'_

"Are you sure that it was alright to send them off like that?" Moira asked, walking in the room.

Faragonda turned to Moira and nodded. "They have to Moira. This is their destiny and we can't stand in the way."

"Do you think they can get through to Daniel?" Moira asked.

"We must believe that they can Moira." Faragonda said. "The Winx can't be expected to deal with every threat. That is why the Scoutix must fight this."

Moira looked down a little and walked to the window. "If they fail, they will lose all of their magic. And if the one behind this gets to Daniel, everything will change across the entire magic dimension."

"I know that, but we don't have a choice." Faragonda said. "You must have faith that they can succeed."

Moira watched the ship fly off and placed a hand on the window. "I hope you're right."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Daniel dived down deep in the water, taking in every detail of his surroundings. _'It feels great to be down here. Nothing like a good swim to clear my mind.'_ Milo swam beside him and made a few bubbles. Smiling at his companion, he swam back to the surface and climbed out of the water. "That was a good swim Milo."

"How are we supposed to find him?" Carmen asked as they walked off the ship.

"Something tells me that it won't be that hard to find him." Rosella said.

Catarina looked to the water and noticed Daniel. _'Could that be him?'_ "I think I just did. Let me go talk to him. If we all go, he might scared and run off." Smiling, she made her way over to the water. "The rumors are true."

Daniel took notice to Catarina and jumped a little. _'You got to be kidding me. I was hoping to avoid people.'_ He then pulled on his shirt and backed up a little.

"Don't be afraid." Catarina said. "I just want to talk."

Daniel kept his gaze on Catarina, watching her every move. "You should leave here. I don't want to talk. Tell your friends not to come any closer."

"We're not here to hurt you." Catarina said. "There's a reason you're here. Please hear what we have to say first."

Daniel sighed, noticing the rest of the group coming closer. "You're not going to leave unless I listen."

"You're aware of how much danger you're in." Felicity said. "And you still want to be alone. Pretty pathetic if you ask me."

Rachel glared at Felicity and fisted her hands. "That's low Felicity. Now apologize."

Felicity glared and stormed off. "As if I would do something like that." _'Who does she think she is? She has no right to tell me what to do.'_

Lyon watched Felicity walk off and smirked. _'I'm beginning to like her.'_ "I'll check on her." With that, he followed after Felicity. "That was pretty awesome what you said back there. Couldn't have said it better myself."

Felicity glanced at Lyon and narrowed her eyes a little. "I didn't ask for your opinion. Why did you follow me?"

"Please forgive her." Abigail said. "I'm sure that she didn't mean it."

Daniel turned to the water and looked down a little. "I want you all to leave."

"Why?" Abigail asked. "Why do you want to be alone? If you're aware of the danger, you should get somewhere safe. Why are you staying here?"

"I won't put innocent people in danger." Daniel said. "No one else is going to get hurt."

"Has someone got hurt?" Catarina asked.

Daniel turned to Catarina and looked down. "I know that I'm in danger. There was someone that got hurt. It all happened so fast. And I was too scared to do anything. It's not safe for anyone to be around me."

"You don't have to be alone." Gale said.

Alex moved over to Daniel and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can help you. You can't truly believe that being alone is the best thing for you."

"I won't drag anyone else into this." Daniel said, pulling away from Alex. "There's nothing you can do."

 _'We are getting nowhere with this guy.'_ Rachel thought.

"We're already part of it." Alex said. "You know what's going on. This isn't about you anymore. Or do you plan to stand by as more innocent people get hurt?"

Daniel looked down and gripped his arm. "I was offered the chance to stay at Red Fountain. I'm not sure if I actually want to go. It's not like I would fit in anywhere."

"You fit in just fine with us." Alex said. "Give us the chance to be your friends."

Daniel nodded and smiled a little. "I'd like that. I will give it a try."

"That's good to hear." Gale said. "My name is Gale."

They all introduced themselves and boarded the ship once more. Daniel kept to himself for the most part. He really didn't have anything to say and he wasn't about to share anything about his past. Milo, on the other hand, thought it would be fun to ride on Abigail's lap. The young turtle wasn't about to leave his friend and he wanted to make sure that Daniel was safe. They arrived at Alfea and dropped the girls off before heading back to Red Fountain. Abigail had decided to take care of Milo so Daniel wouldn't have to worry about his friend.

Shadow appeared in the trees and watched as the ship took off. _'It doesn't matter where you go. I will find you.'_

 **Alfea**

"Do you think Daniel will be alright?" Abigail asked, watching as the boys flew away.

"He will be fine Abigail." Rosella said. "Daniel has some great friends now."

Milo smiled and snuggled up against Abigail. "Milo seems to like my company. It was nice of Daniel to let me watch over him."

Felicity stood back away from the group with her arms crossed. _'Who cares if he's alright or not? Whatever happens to him has nothing to do with me. It won't change anything in my life.'_

Carmen looked over at Abigail, a large grin on her face. "Don't think for one second that I didn't notice."

"What are you talking about?" Abigail asked.

"You have a crush on Colton." Carmen said, smiling even more. "It seemed like you two really hit it off."

Abigail blushed and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know that I'm right." Carmen said.

Catarina shook her head and placed a hand on Abigail's shoulder. "You don't have to hide it Abigail. Colton really seems to like you. It's nice to see him actually open up more. He's always been a little shy, just like you."

Abigail smiled a little and looked up at Catarina. "Colton is very nice, but I'm not sure if I actually like him. I've never felt this way before."

Catarina smiled and pulled her hand away from Abigail. "You are in love. And I'm sure that Colton feels the same way."

Felicity glared a little and walked up to the dorm. _'What is wrong with them? Love is just a waste of time.'_

"I will never understand Felicity." Rachel said.

Abigail watched Felicity walk away and smiled a little. "I hope you're right Catarina. Felicity isn't as bad as you might think. Deep down, she's truly a kind person. We just have to give her a little time."

"Let's just give her some space." Catarina said. "Her aura is a mix of different emotions. I sense a lot of pain and sadness, but there is still a kindness to her as well."

 **Red Fountain**

"It's nice to have you here Daniel." Helia said.

Daniel nodded and held his arm. "I haven't completely decided to stay, but I will give it a try." _'Besides, it was the only way to get people to leave me alone.'_

"You're safe here." Helia said. "No one else will know who you are."

Daniel smiled a little, "I know, but I can't help but be cautious of everyone." With that, he walked outside and sat down a bench. _'Perhaps I can trust the people I've met.'_

"The good thing is that he's starting to open up." Saladin said, watching Daniel walk off.

Helia nodded and stared out the window. "It's safer for him to be here rather than on his own. It doesn't mean that he's going to trust people easily. However, he has found himself a good group to be part of."

Lyon glanced over at Daniel and glared a little. _'This guy is pathetic. He's the fairy that everyone has been talking about. A complete loser if you ask me.'_

"Are you alright Daniel?" Gale asked, taking a seat beside him.

Daniel looked over to Gale and nodded. "It's strange being here. I'm used to being on my own."

"Don't you have a family?" Gale asked.

"I have three brothers and a sister living in the city." Daniel said. "At first, I wanted to attend Alfea. It was a dream of mine since I found out what I was. And then I found out just how alone I truly am. I agreed to come to Magix, but my family had to come with me. My siblings are all I have left now."

 **Dark Castle**

"Neva is freezing Cloud Tower." Shadow said. "And Krista has an eye on Red Fountain. Things are going according to plan." Laughing, he made his way down to Rave's cell. "Are you ready to obey now?"

Rave looked up at Shadow and nodded, his eyes having a glazed look to them. "I am."

Shadow smiled as the cage disappeared. "That's what I want to hear. Now go. And don't return until that brother of yours is dealt with."

Rave nodded and disappeared into the shadows. _'This won't take long at all.'_

Ulrik watched from behind a pillar and narrowed his eyes a little. _'What does ice magic have to do with any of this? I thought our mission was collect essence. Why does Shadow need Alex's magic? Is he afraid of it?'_

"Go out and gather more essence Ulrik." Shadow said. "Or do you plan on standing there all day?"

Ulrik nodded and disappeared. _'He may be the leader, but I do question his actions sometimes.'_

 **Cloud Tower**

Neva continued to freeze everything and walked outside. _'These fools didn't even try to stop me. I will bring this place to its knees.'_

"You won't get away with this." Griffin said, blasting Neva with a spell.

Neva winced a little and laughed. "It's going to take more than that. Snow Prison." At that moment, a cage made of ice formed around Griffin and began to freeze her. "And don't even think about trying to escape. Your power isn't strong enough to melt it." She laughed as the ice completely engulfed Griffin.

 **Alfea**

Milo sat on Abigail's bed and smiled up at her. Abigail returned the smile and sat down herself. "You must be hungry Milo. And I really need to get you something to stay in with plenty of water."

"Then get up and take care of that." Felicity said. "Unless you're having second thoughts about taking care of that animal."

Abigail smiled and turned to Felicity. "I can't just leave him alone. After all, I made a promise to take care of Milo."

"You go out and get him whatever he needs." Felicity said. "I will watch the little...guy until you return."

Abigail was a bit confused as to why Felicity was being nice, but she continued to smile anyways. "Thank you Felicity. I think that we could be really great friends." With that, she pulled on her shoes and headed off into the city.

 _'I can't believe I agreed to watch over this thing.'_ Felicity thought, looking over at Milo. _'As if I would actually want to be friends with her. I just wanted her to go away for a while. She's far too nice for my tastes.'_

 _~~~~~~~Felicity's Memory~~~~~~~~_

"Do not forget your gems Felicity." Archer said.

Felicity nodded and put on her jewelry. "Yes father."

"Hold still and let me fix your hair." Lehena said. "You must look perfect for you suitors. One of them will be your future husband someday."

Felicity sat still and stared at herself in the mirror. "Of course mother."

Rafe watched Felicity from the doorway and looked down. _'She's just a child. Felicity should be outside playing with the other kids. Mom and dad have no idea how sad she is. Perhaps they do, but don't care.'_ "She's too young to be thinking about marriage."

"A girl is never too young to decide on their husband." Lehena said. "You can't get anywhere in life without looking perfect. Looks are everything."

Rafe turned away and growled under his breath. "Spending all your time on your appearance is not going to bring you happiness."

"That's enough Rafe." Archer said. "This is not your decision to make. We must not tarnish our family name. Felicity will marry someone we see fit. Now leave us."

Rafe fisted his hands and stormed off. _'We mustn't tarnish our family name. Felicity shouldn't have to go through all of this. She deserves to be just like all the other kids. No. She deserves to be the person she wants to be.'_

Once Felicity was alone, she made her way to Rafe's room. "Big brother." Her eyes looked as if she wanted to cry, but she couldn't let her makeup be ruined.

Rafe smiled upon seeing Felicity and hugged her. "It's alright Filly. I'm here for you."

"I'm scared." Felicity said, holding back the tears.

Rafe knelt down in front of Felicity and moved her hair behind her ears. "I know Filly. You shouldn't have to go through all of this. Listen to me alright. No matter what happens or what anyone says, follow your heart. You are a very kind young lady. Don't lose sight of who you truly are. And I will always be here for you when you need a friend. After this is all over, I'll help you get of here for a while. I want you to make friends."

Felicity smiled and hugged Rafe. "I promise big brother."

~~~~~~Memory End~~~~~~~

 _'Why am I having this memory now?'_ Felicity thought. _'I promised to make friends, but mother and father wouldn't stop drilling me on my appearance. Where are you Rafe?'_

 **Magix**

Abigail got off the bus and headed into the pet store. "I can find everything I need in here. It was nice of Felicity to offer to watch Milo." After buying everything she needed, she started making her way back to the bus stop.

Ulrik appeared in a nearby alley and dropped to one knee. _'What's going on? I can't move.'_

Abigail took notice to Ulrik and ran over to him. "Are you alright?"

Ulrik looked up at Abigail and winced in pain. "I will be fine, but it appears as if I have twisted my ankle."

"Allow me to take care of that." Abigail said. "Autumn Breeze." Within an instant, Ulrik's ankle was back to normal.

Ulrik watched his ankle heal and smiled. "Thank you. You're so kind."

"It was nothing really." Abigail said. "I couldn't just leave you like that."

Ulrik stood up and nodded. "It's not safe for a fairy to be out here alone. I'm sure that you have heard about the attacks."

"Of course I have." Abigail said. "It doesn't mean that I should stay cooped up inside. I'm not afraid to be out and about. Besides, if I stayed inside, I wouldn't be able to enjoy nature."

Ulrik smiled and looked down a little. "Nature is a wonderful thing. You are kind, so I must apologize. Please forgive me. Paralysis."

Abigail dropped everything she had bought, keeping her gaze on Ulrik. At that moment, she noticed her body freezing up. _'I can't move. He's an enemy.'_ "Why are you doing this?"

"I don't have a choice." Ulrik said. "I am grateful for what you have done for me, but I can't allow that to get in the way of my mission. It will be easier if you just surrender. And I regret what I must do now. Absorption."

Abigail cried out in pain, feeling her very essence begin to leave her body. "Please. Don't do this." _'I have to do something.'_ "Autumn Breeze." Within an instant, she was able to move and stop Ulrik's spell.

"I don't want to fight you." Ulrik said.

Abigail distanced herself from Ulrik and winced a little. Her body was still aching from the paralysis, but she wasn't about to go down without a fight. "Then don't. You can walk away."

"That's where you're wrong." Ulrik said. "Rose Prison."

Abigail quickly dodged the roses surrounding her and looked down. "I have no choice. Magix." Within an instant, she had transformed into her fairy form. Her hair framed her face a little more and a small bun appeared. The outfit consisted of a green sleeveless top, sandpaper colored pants with one side longer than the other, and green flats. Her wings were sort of leaf shaped colored green with yellowish accents. "Abigail. Fairy of harvest."

"You leave me no choice." Ulrik said. "Terra Dust."

Abigail flew up away from the pollen and readied herself for an attack. "I'm sorry. Floral Cage."

Ulrik watched as flowers started to surround him and quickly dodged. "That won't work. Paralysis."

"Wall of Thorns." Abigail said as a barrier of thorns formed in front of her. "I won't fall for that one again."

Ulrik kept his gaze on Abigail, trying to figure out what to do next. "Terra Dust."

Abigail winced as the blinding pollen struck her, doing her best to break the spell. _'What should I do now? I can't see a thing.'_ Upon regaining her vision, she was struck and was sent falling to the ground with a bruise on her chest. _'What hit me?'_

"Take her essence already." Krista said, walking up beside Ulrik and catching her boomerangs. "Hurry up before she gets back on her feet."

Ulrik glared a little at Krista and turned to Abigail. "I had this under control Krista."

"You were holding back." Krista said. "I only stepped in because I care about you. Stop wasting time before Shadow shows up."

Ulrik turned to Abigail and watched as her Magix form faded. "You could care less what happens to me. Let me deal with this my own way."

Krista scoffed and struck Abigail with her boomerangs once more, adding a bruise to her arm and face. "You should be more aggressive towards these pathetic fairies." With that, she laughed and faded off into the shadows.

Ulrik watched Krista leave and walked over next to Abigail. "I'm sorry that things had to be this way. Absorption." Within seconds, her essence was absorbed into Ulrik's amulet. "Forgive me." He then disappeared without a trace.

Abigail watched as Ulrik left and fell unconscious. _'He didn't want to hurt me. And who is this Shadow that girl mentioned?'_

 **Dark Castle**

"You disappoint me Ulrik." Shadow said. "Krista tells me that you held back fighting that fairy."

Ulrik knelt down and looked up at Shadow. "I had everything under control. There was no need to use Rmy full power."

Shadow glared and struck Ulrik with a dark fire whip. "I don't want excuses Ulrik. You will not hold back your power again. Or perhaps you have gone soft. Have you forgotten our deal?"

Ulrik winced and looked down. "As you wish. No. I remember it perfectly."

"Then we understand each other." Shadow said. "Get out of my sight."

Ulrik nodded and disappeared into the shadows. _'Please let her be alright.'_

"You've done well Krista." Shadow said. "That nature fairy won't be waking up anytime soon."

Krista smiled and looked to the area Ulrik disappeared from. "As always my lord."

"Keep a close eye on Ulrik." Shadow said.

Krista nodded and knelt down. "I will not fail you."

 **Red Fountain**

Rave appeared from the shadows, keeping his gaze on Alex. _'This will be quick.'_

Alex took notice to Rave and walked over to him. "Rave. You've come back."

Rave smirked and kicked Alex in the stomach. "Surrender your magic brother."

Alex winced and slowly sat up. "Magic? What are you talking about?" _'That's strange. I don't have any magic, except the little bit I use to summon my bow.'_ "I don't want to fight you Rave."

"Get away from him Alex." Gale said, running over beside him. "His aura is completely off. This is not the brother you know."

Rave chuckled a little and threw one of his sais into Gale's shoulder. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Gale winced in pain and pulled out the sai, tossing it to the ground. "You have to fight him Alex."

Alex glared a little and summoned his bow. "You leave me no choice Rave." At that moment, he released a arrow. "Snap out of it brother."

Rave dodged the arrow and tackled Alex to the ground. "Not a chance. I'm going to show everyone that you are nothing." Chuckling, he stabbed Alex in the shoulder and pinned him to the ground. "Don't move. This won't hurt a bit." Within seconds, a icy aura began to flow into Rave's amulet.

 _'Ice magic.'_ Alex thought, wincing in pain. _'How is that possible? I can't use this amount of magic. What's going on?'_

Rexx quickly summoned his chakrams and threw them at Rave, knocking him off Alex. "You got a lot of nerve coming here."

Alex stood up, watching as the ice magic faded back into his body. _'Where did this come from?'_

"You're outnumbered." Gale said, summoning his tonfa.

Colton had his javelin in hand and stood ready for a fight. "You can't take us all on."

Rave glared and readied his sais. "I'm not finished yet."

Zane cracked his whip and wrapped the end around Rave's wrists. "We won't allow you to hurt a friend."

"Forgive me brother." Alex said, punching Rave in the stomach and knocking him unconscious. "What's gotten into him? He's like an entirely different person."

Zaven took notice to Alex and ran over to him. "Are you alright?"

Alex nodded and looked back to Rave. "I'm fine. I think." He then winced in pain and held his chest. "What's happening to me?" _'Rave.'_

"Take it easy Alex." Zaven said. "Get some rest alright. I'll take care of Rave."

Rexx supported Alex and helped him to his room. "How are you feeling?"

Alex winced and laid down on his bed. "It's strange. I didn't even know I had ice magic."

"What happened?" Zaven asked, picking up Rave.

"I'm not really sure." Gale said. "It all happened so fast. Rave just attacked out of nowhere. He wanted Alex's ice magic for some reason. I didn't know Alex had that kind of magic. He never said anything about it."

Zaven sighed and looked down. "Exactly what I was afraid of. Alex didn't know about the magic. It has laid dormant, but now it has been awakened. How would Rave know about it?"

"I don't know." Gale said. "Rave wasn't exactly himself. Something just felt off about him."

Zaven focused his attention on Rave, holding him close. "Watch over Alex. I'm taking Rave to Alfea. Hopefully, they will be able to break the spell he's under."

Gale nodded and walked off to his room, which he shared with Alex. "You sure took a beating Alex."

"What happened to Rave?" Alex asked, wincing a little.

"Your father is taking him to Alfea." Gale said. "They might be able to figure out what's wrong with him."

Alex looked out the window and sighed a little. "I hope you're right Gale."

Daniel looked down and walked to his room. It wasn't his ideal place to be, but it worked for now. He wanted to try things out for the time being. _'I hope Milo is doing alright. I feel a little more comfortable here, but I'm still out of place.'_

"Are you feeling all right Daniel?" Colton asked.

Daniel glanced back at Colton and nodded. "I'm fine. It's just strange being here."

"Maybe you just need a change of scenery." Colton said. "Do you want to go into the city?"

Daniel smiled a little and nodded. "That sounds like a great idea."

Once they were both ready, they made their way into Magix. Daniel liked the idea of seeing the city. Besides, the city was where his siblings were staying. Well, it was actually outside the city limits a bit. At least he had a companion alongside him.

"Feel any better?" Colton asked.

Daniel nodded and smiled a little more. "It is nice to get away from everything for a while. I haven't got the chance to explore the city."

"That's good to hear." Colton said. "There's so much to see in the city." Before he could say another, he took notice to Abigail. At that moment, a look of sheer terror came over his face. "Abigail?!" He ran over to her and held her in his arms. "Abigail. Wake up."

Daniel followed after Colton and knelt down. "She's still alive Colton. What could have happened to her? And why was she out here alone?"

"I don't know, but she needs help." Colton said, picking up Abigail. "We have to get her to Alfea."

Daniel nodded and went with Colton to Alfea. _'It has to be the same entity that's after me. I never should have come here.'_

 **Alfea**

Colton carried Abigail straight to the nurse's office and gently laid her down. "You're safe now Abigail."

Daniel sat out in the courtyard and stared up at the sky. 'Why is this happening? Everything was fine before I came here.'

Zaven arrived at Alfea and laid Rave down in the nurse's office, making sure to restrain him. 'I'm sorry about this.' "You're Colton right."

Colton glanced over at Zaven and nodded. "That's right."

"Something has to be done." Zaven said. "It's not safe for any fairy to be out on their own. We need to figure out who is actually behind this."

"Will he be alright?" Colton asked.

"I don't know." Zaven said, looking down a little.

Carmen laid in her bed and coughed a little. "I don't feel so good."

"It appears as if you have a cold." Catarina said. "You should get plenty of rest."

 _'It's strange how quick she has become sick.'_ Rachel thought. _'Something doesn't feel right.'_

"Carmen being sick isn't the only bad thing going on." Rosella said.

"What do you mean Rosella?" Catarina asked.

"There was another attack in the city." Rosella said.

 _'In the city.'_ Felicity thought. _'It couldn't be.'_

"I hope that she will be alright." Rachel said.

Rosella nodded and looked to the door. "Perhaps we should go check in on them."

"I want to go." Carmen said, coughing a little more and sneezing.

Rachel shook her head and looked at Carmen. "You are staying in bed."

"I can feel a shift in aura." Catarina said. "This girl is hurting really bad."

"Can you tell who it is?" Rosella asked.

Catarina shook her head and looked down. "Something is blocking her identity from me."

Felicity went wide-eyes and ran out of the room. _'Please let me be wrong.'_ She ran into the nurse's office and almost fell upon seeing Abigail. "No."

Colton looked over to Felicity and looked down. "You're Felicity right."

"I wonder what got into her." Rachel said.

Catarina watched Felicity take off and sighed. "Rachel. Stay here with Carmen. Rosella. Let's get down to the nurse's office." Rosella nodded and followed Felicity down to where Abigail was. "Abigail."

"This is all my fault." Felicity said as tears started to form in her eyes.

"What are you talking about Felicity?" Rosella asked.

"I told her to go to the pet store." Felicity said, as tears started to stream down her face. "This wouldn't have happened if I didn't tell her to go."

Catarina looked down and placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen."

Felicity wiped away her tears and looked at Catarina. "I let her go alone. We may not get along, but I never wanted her to get hurt."

"We will find a way to help her." Catarina said. "Felicity. We want you to be part of our team. And right now we need all the help we can get."

Felicity looked down and held her arm. "You want me to be part of your team. Even after what I did."

"Of course we do." Rosella said smiling. "We are all very different from each and that's what makes us great friends. You are a lot like Rachel. Things were a little difficult when I first met her. The witch, Splendora, used Rachel's anger towards me and turned her against us. We were able to break the spell and we've been friends ever since. Just give us a chance."

Felicity looked up and smiled. "I'd like that."

"We have to find the one that did this." Colton said. "If we do that, we can take her essence back."

"Who are you?" Catarina asked, looking over at Zaven.

"My name is Zaven." Zaven said, keeping his gaze on Rave. "Rave is in trouble and I don't know how to save him."

"Who is he to you?" Rosella asked.

Zaven sighed and glanced at Rosella. "He's my son."

"You're Alex's father." Rosella said.

Zaven turned his attention back to Rave and smiled a little. "You all must know each other."

"We kind of fought against Rave and then with him." Catarina said. "He took off afterwards."

Rosella turned to Rave and looked down a little. "Alex and I are dating. What happened to Rave?"

"I can't be sure." Zaven said. "He attacked Alex. Don't worry, Alex is alright. He's just resting. Rave isn't himself."

 **Dark Castle**

"Krista." Shadow said. "Go cause a little trouble for those pesky specialists."

Krista nodded and disappeared into the darkness. _'The moment I was waiting for.'_

Ulrik stared out his window, lost in thought. _'Of course Krista would rat me out. In truth, I didn't want to hurt that fairy. She was so kind to me.'_ He looked at his ankle and sighed a little. _'If things were different, I would be helping her. I should return her essence, but things would be worse for me if I did. Shadow wouldn't forgive such an act. All of this is wrong. Why is Shadow so obsessed with this? And it would seem that he has sent Krista out on a mission.'_ Within seconds, he disappeared within vines.

 **Cloud Tower**

Neva stood on the highest balcony and looked out upon the area. "This place was too easy to take down. And now all the witches of this pathetic school are under my control. Shadow will be pleased with what I have accomplished."

 **Red Fountain**

Krista arrived at the school and smirked. _'This school was just attacked last year. It's a shame that I wasn't here for that. Which one of them should I go after first?'_

"Stay with Alex Rexx." Gale said. "Something doesn't feel right and he's in no condition to fight."

Rexx nodded and watched as Gale ran off. "You should let Rosella know you're alright."

"I get the feeling that something bad is about to happen." Alex said, looking out the window.

Gale made his way to the school entrance and stopped when he saw Krista. "Krista."

 _'My first target. He always did get on my nerves.'_ Krista thought. "Gale. What brings you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Gale said. "Have you seen Colton or Daniel around?"

Krista smiled a little and moved closer to him. "No I haven't. Is something wrong?"

"I want to make sure they're alright." Gale said. _'Something isn't right.'_

Krista continued to move closer to him and giggled a little. "I'm sure that they can take care of themselves. They are big boys after all. Perhaps we should go out together."

"I'm not interested Krista." Gale said. "I have a girlfriend."

A sly smile formed on her face as she rubbed his face. "I would make a better girlfriend than her."

Gale shivered a little and moved away from her. "I told you that I'm not interested."

"That's too bad." Krista said, smirking a little. "Shadow Dream."

"What's going on?" Gale asked, as he started feel sleepy. "What did you do?" Within seconds, he was on the ground.

Krista laughed and stared at Gale. "I can't have you getting in my way. Now sleep."

Gale kept his gaze on Krista and drifted off to sleep. _'I should have known.'_

"Nothing personal Gale." Krista said, dragging him out of view. "Now to find my next target."

Lyon watched Krista from the shadows and narrowed his eyes a little. _'What is she up to?'_

Krista took notice to Lyon and smiled, walking up to him. "Enjoy the show little boy."

"Why did you attack him?" Lyon asked.

"Don't tell me that you actually care." Krista said. "It's not like he was your friend. Join me Lyon. I promise that you will be rewarded."

Lyon glared and took a step back. "That's not my thing sweetheart. I won't be someone's puppet."

"That's too bad." Krista said, as shadows wrapped around him. "I can't let you go telling anyone about me. Besides, I need to finish up here and deal with the fairies."

Lyon struggled to get free, keeping his gaze on Krista. "Release me."

"I can't do that." Krista said. "Everyone here is my enemy now. You should have joined me. Perhaps I will go after that blonde fairy next. Who would care if something happened to her?"

Lyon glared and struggled even more. "Don't you dare touch her."

"What's this?" Krista asked. "Does someone have a little crush? How pathetic."

 _'You're wrong.'_ Lyon thought. _'I don't care about Felicity. Or do I? No. No one can be trusted.'_

"So you do care about her." Krista said, laughing a little. "Fine then. You can watch her suffer. These shadows will keep you locked away."

At that moment, an arrow of ice pierced the shadows and caused them to disappear. "Get away from him."

"Alex." Rexx said, running up behind him. "You should be in bed."

Krista growled and jumped back a little, grabbing her boomerangs. "And two more join the party. I've already taken care of one of your friends. Now three against one isn't fair at all. How about I even the odds? Kuro Prison." Within a instant, a cage of shadows formed around Alex and Rexx. She then turned to Lyon and smirked. "Now it's just you and me."

"I won't go easy on you." Lyon said, forming his nunchucks. _'Alex saved me. Why would he do that for me?'_

Alex winced in pain and fell to his knees. "This is the same thing I felt with Rave."

"You never should have came out here." Rexx said, forming his chakrams. "I'll get us out of this. Blazing Heat." His chakrams ignited before he threw them at the bars, but to no avail. "That didn't go as planned."

Lyon kept his gaze on Krista, trying to figure out her next move. "Let's get this over with. Terra Wave." He spun his nunchucks around before striking the ground, causing a wave of energy to fly towards Krista.

Krista laughed and quickly dodged, throwing her boomerangs. "You're just a mere amateur."

Lyon had managed to dodge one boomerang, only to have the other strike his side. He winced and placed his hand over the bruise. "I'm not done yet."

"Do you know anything about boomerangs?" Krista asked. "They always come back."

Before Lyon could react, he was struck in the back by the other boomerang. He then dropped to his knees and glared up at her. "You haven't won yet."

"You're right." Krista said, catching the boomerangs. "I win once you're taken out of the equation." She smirked and threw the boomerangs once more. "You're finished."

As the boomerangs were about to strike, they were knocked to the ground. "You'll have to go through me first." Zane cracked his whip, keeping his gaze on Krista. "I was suspicious of you from the beginning."

Krista glared and turned to face Zane. "You don't know me at all. None of you have the power to stop my master. Say goodbye to those worthless fairies." 'It's time to get out of here. I'm at a complete disadvantage.' "Until next time boys." Laughing, she disappeared into the shadows. Once she was gone, the cage around Alex and Rexx disappeared.

"Are you alright Lyon?" Zane asked.

Lyon winced and slowly stood up, only to stumble a little. "I'm just fine."

"You can barely stand, let alone walk." Zane said, helping Lyon stand. "Krista got away. Has anyone seen Gale?"

Rexx hoisted Alex up and walked over to Zane. "He sensed something and left."

"Krista must have done something to him." Alex said. "She said that she had already took care of one our friends."

"Why go after Gale?" Rexx asked.

"For being in the wrong place at the right time." Lyon said.

Alex glanced over at Lyon and winced a little. "We need to find him."

"You're in no condition to do anything." Rexx said. "And that goes for you as well Lyon."

Gale awoke and slowly sat up. "What happened?"

"Gale." Zane said.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked.

Gale nodded and stood up. "Krista surprised me. It happened so fast. She only put me to sleep."

"Let's head to Alfea." Alex said. "Maybe the girls know something."

Gale winced and turned to Alex. "Sounds like a plan. You should see Rave."

"I know." Alex said. "I was planning on it. Some answers would be nice."

 **Alfea**

"We have no clue as to where the one behind this could be." Catarina said.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Rosella asked.

"We use bait." Felicity said. "Whoever attacked Abigail has to be close by."

Colton looked at Felicity and nodded. "What are we waiting for?"

"It's far too dangerous." Catarina said. "We can't risk another fairy losing her essence."

Colton stood up and turned to Catarina. "We have to do something. This is our best shot."

"What are you all talking about?" Gale asked, walking in with the guys.

"Felicity wants to use bait to draw out whoever attacked Abigail." Catarina said. "It's crazy thinking."

Alex winced a little and smiled at Rosella. "It's nice to see you again Rosella." He then gave her a hug and turned to Rave. "How is he?"

Zaven glanced over at Alex and shook his head. "I'm not sure. He's still out cold. You hit him pretty hard."

"He didn't give me much of a choice." Alex said. "What are you not telling me?"

Zaven focused his attention on Rave and remained silent for a few minutes. "It's complicated. I'm not really sure how to explain it myself."

"What was Rave going on about?" Alex asked. "What magic was he trying to take from me?"

"Alex. I don't even understand it myself." Zaven said. "Your mother could use ice magic. Her magic was something special. Frozen dream magic is what she called it. Part of it must be within you. I don't know how or why."

Alex sat down and shook his head. "I don't understand what's going on."

"We'll figure this out Alex." Rosella said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Alex looked up at Rosella and smiled. "I know Rosella. Thank you."

Ulrik appeared outside of Alfea and stared up at it. _'That fairy must be here.'_

"I need some air." Colton said. Walking outside, he took notice to Ulrik. "Can I help you?" _'Something doesn't feel right about him.'_

Ulrik turned to Colton and smiled a little. "Perhaps you can. I'm looking for a certain fairy."

"This is a school for fairies." Colton said. "It would be easier to find this fairy if you told me her name."

Ulrik walked past Colton and stared at the ground. "Her name is a mystery to me. I took something from her and I'd like to return it."

 _'Abigail.'_ Colton thought. "You're the one that attacked Abigail." He then summoned his javelin and glared at Ulrik. "I suggest you leave."

Ulrik sighed and turned to face Colton. "I didn't come here to fight boy."

"It doesn't matter." Colton said. "You will pay for hurting her."

Ulrik shook his head, keeping his gaze on Colton. "And here I thought you would want to help her. Paralysis."

Colton was just about to attack when he felt his body freeze up. "What did you do to me?"

"All I did was paralyze your entire body." Ulrik said, walking up to Colton. "The only way to help her is by returning her essence. You do want her to get better." Smiling he little, he made Abigail's essence appear. "This doesn't make us allies. I'm only repaying her for the kindness she showed me. Once I leave, the paralysis will wear off." With that, he disappeared within the earth.

Colton could only watch as Ulrik disappeared, feeling his body return to normal. He stared at the essence in front of him and quickly grabbed it. _'That guy was strange.'_ Without hesitation, he made his way back to the nurse's office. "Abigail will be fine."

"Where did you get her essence?" Catarina asked.

"The one that attacked her gave it to me." Colton said. "He was a little strange if you ask me."

Catarina grabbed the essence and held it over Abigail. "Let's hope this works."

The essence was a glowing green triangle with a light green three pointed star and a cornucopia in the center. Within an instant, it disappeared within Abigail's body. _'What's going on? I can feel my magic returning.'_

"Wake up Abigail." Colton said, pushing her hair out of her face.

Abigail slowly opened her eyes and looked around. "What happened to me?"

"You had your essence stolen, but we managed to get it back." Catarina said. "Well, Colton got it back for you."

Colton smiled and held Abigail's hand. "I'm glad that you're okay. That guy hurt you pretty bad."

"It wasn't the guy." Abigail said, wincing a little. "I did fight with him, but he wasn't trying to hurt me. That girl was the one doing most of the damage."

"What girl?" Gale asked.

"That guy called her Krista." Abigail said. "I only managed to get a glimpse of her."

Lyon winced and smirked a little. "Pretty pathetic if you ask me."

Felicity shot Lyon a glare and smacked him upside the head. "You just can't stand for someone to be happy. Something like that doesn't make you weak. I was going to heal you, but perhaps I should just leave you like this. It seems to me like you lost as well."

"Krista is a specialist." Gale said. "And I know for a fact that she's working for whoever is behind all of this." Listening to Lyon's remark, he looked down a little. "Don't forget that Krista took you down as well Lyon." He then quickly sent a message and turned to Alex. "There's only one person that can help you Alex."

"What was that message about Gale?" Catarina asked.

"I was warning the headmaster about Krista." Gale said. "We need to keep an eye on her."

Lyon growled a little when Felicity smacked him and winced. "I don't need your help."

Alex looked up at Gale and nodded. "My mother is the only one with the answers. I have to find a way to talk to her."

Zaven watched as the events unfolded, keeping his gaze on Rave. "A witch would know how to communicate with a spirit."

Felicity sighed and shook her head a little. "You are so stubborn. Healing Rain." Within seconds, all of Lyon's wounds began to heal. "I thought you were all about honesty Lyon."

"We don't exactly know any witch that would help us." Alex said. _'Please be alright brother.'_

Rave winced a little and opened his eyes, struggling to break free. "Why can't I move?"

"It was for your own good Rave." Zaven said. "You're not yourself."

"How would you know?" Rave asked, glaring at Zaven. "No one paid any attention to me. It was always about mister perfect over there. You know nothing about me."

Zaven sighed and looked down. "You're right. I don't know you and there's nothing I can do to make up for it. It doesn't change the fact that you need help."

"I don't need anyone." Rave said. "All I need to do is get out of here."

Rosella glanced over at Rave and stood up. "Stop lying to yourself Rave. This isn't the person you really are."

Rave turned to Rosella and glared some more. "That's where you're wrong princess. This is exactly who I am."

"That's not true." Rosella said. "If this was the real you, you never would have let me go. Or have you forgotten? You had me cornered, but decided to let me go instead. The person you are now would never have done that. You can fool everyone else, but it won't work on me. I know that you are a good person."

Rave smirked and chuckled a little. "That doesn't change anything. The only reason I let you go was because you got in my head somehow. It's the same reason I didn't kill my pathetic brother when I had the chance."

"You're wrong." Rosella said. "You're a good person and deep down you know that. The shadows are trying to take control and you're letting them. You have to fight back Rave."

"And what if I don't want to?" Rave asked.

"You will." Rosella said. "And it's because you can't stand being controlled."

 **Dark Castle**

Ulrik made his way through the door and leaned up against a pillar. _'I should enjoy the freedom I have. Shadow won't take too kindly to me returning that essence. It's hard telling how long it will be before he finds out.'_

"If it isn't the traitor." Krista said, smirking and stepping out the shadows. "Someone is in major trouble."

Ulrik turned to Krista and glared a little. "What do you want Krista?"

Krista giggled and stepped closer to Ulrik. "You. As my boyfriend."

"That's not going to happen." Ulrik said.

Krista smirked and placed a hand on her hip. "You will Ulrik. Unless you want me to tell Shadow your little secret."

"Well played Krista." Ulrik said.

Shadow watched Alfea from his throne and smirked. _'She actually believes that Rave can fight back against the shadows. How pathetic.'_ "Draegan."

Draegan appeared from the shadows and bowed to Shadow. "You summoned me."

"Go to Alfea and cause a little trouble." Shadow said.

Draegan nodded and disappeared into flames. _'This should be fun.'_

 **Alfea**

Draegan appeared at Alfea's gate and smirked. "So this is the college for fairies. These schools do have a tendency to get attacked. Phoenix Fire." At that moment, a phoenix made of flames flew through the courtyard and set things on fire. "That should get their attention."

Daniel had been sitting on a bench, when he noticed the flames and all the fairies trying to get away. He then noticed that the flames were starting to surround the girls. _'I have to do something.'_ "Magix!" Without hesitation, he flew up into the air, looking for the source of the fire. _'There's too many flames. I have to put them out quickly before someone gets hurt.'_ "Neptune Vortex!" Within an instant, a vortex of water started putting out the flames.

Draegan glared at Daniel and walked into the courtyard. "Impressive fairy, but it won't do you much good. I'm not allowed to take that beautiful essence of yours, but that doesn't mean that I can't mess you up a little."

"Who are you?" Daniel asked, keeping his gaze on Draegan.

Catarina felt the shift in aura and heard the screaming coming from outside. "We gotta go now."

The girls nodded and followed Catarina out to the courtyard, taking notice to Daniel and Draegan. They noticed all the flames burning out and stood back, waiting to see what would happen next. The courtyard had cleared out by this time, leaving only the Scoutix and Draegan.

Draegan chuckled a little and watched as the Scoutix ran out, aside from Rachel and Carmen. "If it isn't the fairy squad."

"I won't ask again." Daniel said. "Who are you?"

Draegan smirked and focused his attention back on Daniel. "You can call me Draegan fairy boy. And I don't appreciate you putting out my flames."

"Be careful Daniel." Catarina said. "This guy's aura is really strange."

 _'This guy has a lot of confidence.'_ Rosella thought. _'He's outnumbered and he hasn't even flinched. I can tell that he has a lot of power.'_

"What do you want Draegan?" Abigail asked.

Draegan turned his attention on Abigail and smiled a little. "It's quite simple actually. I want Fairy Essence. Not to mention that I enjoy watching those wings of yours burn." He laughed as fire swirled around him. "You have no idea who you're messing with. Flame Vortex." At that moment, a vortex of fire shot out towards Abigail.

"Abigail?!" Colton called out, pushing her out of the way. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

All Abigail could do was watch as the fire came towards her. Before she could react, Colton had pushed her out of the way. "Colton?!" She held him close and moved his hair out of his face. "Are you alright?"

Colton winced and smiled a little. "I'll be fine Abigail."

"You should have been fried to a crisp." Draegan said. "It's a shame really. Actually, it's more like a waste that it didn't hit the fairy."

Daniel glared at Draegan and readied himself for another attack. "Pick on someone your own size. Expanding Water Bolts."

Draegan quickly dodged the attack and laughed. "It's going to take more than that fairy."

"Let's go girls." Rosella said.

"Magix!"

"Rosella, fairy of unicorns."

"Catarina, fairy of aura."

"Abigail, fairy of harvest."

Felicity watched the others transform and stood back. _'What could I possibly do? My powers wouldn't work against him.'_

"Felicity." Abigail said. "We could use your help as well."

Felicity looked over to Abigail and shook her head. "My magic wouldn't be any use here."

"The least you can do is try." Abigail said, smiling a little.

Felicity nodded and turned to Draegan. "Magix! Felicity, fairy of healing."

"There's a fight going on Rachel." Carmen said, coughing a little. "We have to go."

Rachel shook her head and placed her hand on Carmen's shoulder. "You are in no condition to fight. They can handle things without us."

"Hit me with your best shot fairies." Draegan said.

Gale helped Colton to a nearby bench and laid him down. "Take it easy pal."

"You asked for it." Rosella said. "Light Arrow."

"Aura Blast."

"Rose Pheromone."

"Orb of Light."

Draegan dodged most of the attacks, aside from the pheromone. His eyes started to feel a little heavy as flames surrounded him once more. "That's enough. Inferno Spike."

Abigail cried out in pain and crashed to the ground. "Wall of Thorns."

"Are you alright Abigail?" Rosella asked, flying down to her.

Abigail nodded and glanced back at Colton. "I'll be fine."

"Neptune Vortex."

Draegan cried out in pain and glared at Daniel. "You'll pay for that. Phoenix Fire Cage."

Daniel soon became trapped in a cage and knocked down to the ground. "I...feel...so...weak..."

"It's a nice little effect of my cage." Draegan said. "It drains the energy of whoever is trapped inside."

"Unicorn Rush!" The pink, unicorn-shaped energy knocked Draegan back and into a wall.

"This is far from over." Draegan said, disappearing into flames. At that moment, the cage surrounding Daniel disappeared.

"I wonder what that was about." Daniel said, as his transformation disappeared.

Catarina sighed a little, keeping her gaze on the place where Draegan stood. "We just keep getting more enemies."

"Draegan wasn't the guy who attacked me." Abigail said.

Felicity landed, as her transformation disappeared. "I told you that I wouldn't be much help."

"You did your best Felicity." Rosella said. "There is something else that your magic can do. Colton is really hurt and your healing magic can help him."

Felicity nodded and walked over to Colton. "Healing Rain."

Colton slowly sat up and smiled. "Thank you Felicity." He then walked over to Abigail and hugged her. "I'm glad your alright. The guy that attacked you was different from Draegan. Whoever he was, he returned your essence. I'm not sure why though."

"Krista, Draegan, and some mystery guy." Gale said. "That's 3 enemies so far, but I get the feeling that there are more."


	20. Downfall Part 1

_~~~~Previously~~~~_

 _Abigail went into the city and was attacked by Ulrik, along with Krista. Krista showed no mercy in taking her down and Ulrik was able to take Abby's essence. Felicity blames Abby's condition on herself, since she told her to go into the city. Ulrik arrives at Alfea and returns Abigail's essence as a token for helping him. The Scoutix convinced Daniel to go to Red Fountain, but he still has doubts about joining them. Rave attacked Alex in an attempt to get his ice magic, which he didn't know he had. Krista attacked the specialists and has forced Ulrik to be her boyfriend. Draegan attacks the Scoutix at Alfea and Daniel transformed for the first time. ~~~~_

 **Red Fountain**

Daniel sat on his bed and stared out the window. A few days had passed since he fought alongside the Scoutix and he wanted to rest up. There hadn't been any attacks since then and he felt a little uneasy about it. _'What could they be planning? And why haven't they attacked lately? It's been way too quiet.'_

"Is something on your mind Daniel?" Gale asked.

Daniel turned to Gale and sighed a little. "I was just thinking. Why haven't the Collectors attacked?"

"The Collectors?" Gale asked.

"We might as well call them something." Daniel said. "They collect essence, so it makes sense."

Gale sat down beside Daniel and smiled a little. "It's better than nothing I suppose. Are you worried?"

"Just a little." Daniel said. "Why wouldn't they attack? Cloud Tower has already been taken over. All that's left is Red Fountain and Alfea. They have to be planning something big. I need some fresh air." With that, he got up and walked outside. He sat down on a bench and stared up at the sky. "How many more will get hurt? Perhaps I should have stayed at Alfea."

"You could really help them out."

Daniel looked back and took notice to Helia. "Maybe. It's still a lot to take in."

"I can't imagine how hard things are for you." Helia said. "Still, you should be at Alfea."

Daniel looked down and gripped his arm. "I would only attract more danger and I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me."

"Don't start believing that you're the cause of the attacks." Helia said. "None of this is because of you."

Daniel sighed a little and looked up. "I know. It doesn't erase the target on my back though."

"You're not the only one with a target on their back." Helia said. "Now isn't the time to doubt yourself. There are still dangers waiting in the shadows."

 **Shadow Lair**

"Let's go lover." Krista said, giving Ulrik a sly smile. "We have work to do."

Ulrik shot Krista a small glare. _'I have to find a way to break this hold she has on me. Perhaps if I found out something about her.'_ "I'll play your game Krista. For now." With that, they both disappeared into shadows.

Draegan watched Krista and Ulrik from the shadows, until they disappeared. _'What could they be up to? And since when were they together?'_

"Draegan." Shadow said.

Draegan turned to Shadow and bowed. "What do you need me to do?"

"Wreak havoc in Magix." Shadow said.

Draegan nodded and disappeared into flames. _'This will be easy. Why would he want me to attack Magix? It doesn't matter.'_

 **Alfea**

"We should be out there looking for the ones behind the attacks." Rachel said.

Catarina placed and hand on Rachel's shoulder and shook her head. "We can't do that Rachel. It would only put us all in danger."

"Something has to be done." Rachel said. "Standing around doing nothing isn't getting us anywhere."

 **Magix**

Draegan appeared in Magix and started lighting things on fire. _'I wonder how long it will be before someone shows up.'_ He laughed a little and watched as people started running in the opposite direction.

"You won't get away with this." Aisha said, landing in front of Draegan in her Bloomix form.

Draegan turned to Aisha and chuckled. "Don't make me laugh. You don't have the power to defeat me."

"We'll see about that." Aisha said. "Water Bolt!"

Draegan smirked and dodged the attack. "It's going to take more than that little fairy. Phoenix Fire."

"Protection of Waves!" Aisha called out as the phoenix flew towards it. "Is that the best you got? Take this. Morphix Net!"

Rings of Morphix formed around Draegan and tightened, causing him to wince a little. "Not bad, but I'm not done yet. Flame Vortex." At that moment, a vortex of flames formed around him and destroyed the rings. "Hit me with your best shot."

"You asked for it." Aisha said. "Morphix Trap!"

Before Draegan could react, he found himself stuck in the Morphix. "You may have stopped my movement, but I can still use my magic. Phoenix Fire Cage!"

Within a matter of seconds, a fire cage formed around Aisha and brought her crashing down to the ground. "You haven't defeated me yet."

Draegan chuckled and surrounded himself in flames, getting rid of the Morphix. "Stupid fairy. Do you truly believe that? There's nothing you can do to stop me now. That is, not while you're in that cage. Can't you feel your energy draining?"

Aisha fell to her knees as her vision started to become blurry. _'I can't move.'_ Almost instantly, she returned to her casual form.

Draegan smirked and walked up to the cage. "I told you that you didn't stand a chance. Now then, I can't allow you to interfere any longer. Absorption." He chuckled as her essence appeared and was absorbed into his pendant. "Which fairy should I take down next?"

Shadow appeared behind Draegan and smirked. "You've done well Draegan."

"Of course." Draegan said. "This fairy was nothing compared to me. I can take on any of them."

Shadow surrounded Draegan in a circle of dark flames and glared a little. "Don't get cocky. There are still the other members of the Winx. You wouldn't stand a chance if they all worked together. Try not to draw too much attention to yourself. You're just lucky that it was only one this time."

Draegan winced and nodded. "Yes my lord."

 **Red Fountain**

Krista appeared in the trees in front of the school and smirked a little. "It's time to shake things up a little. None of the fools in this wretched school have what it takes to defeat me. Isn't that right lover?"

Ulrik appeared next to Krista, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "Whatever you say Krista."

Krista pouted a little and chuckled. "Is that any way to speak to your girlfriend? Show a little more passion than that. If you prefer, I could tell Shadow about your little secret."

"Something doesn't feel right." Daniel said, looking around.

"What do you want me to do my love?" Ulrik asked.

Krista smiled and giggled a little. "Now that's more like it." She then glanced at Daniel and smirked. "Keep fairy boy distracted. I can't have him interfering in my plans."

"What will you do?" Ulrik asked.

"That's none of your concern sweetie." Krista said, rubbing the side of his face. "Just keep him busy."

Ulrik shivered a little and nodded. "We're supposed to leave him be."

Krista chuckled and quickly kissed Ulrik. "Oh sweetie. We're not supposed to take his essence. Shadow never said that we couldn't mess him up a little. You just have to keep him occupied long enough for me to finish my little mission." She then made her way closer, making sure to not be seen. _'This won't take long at all.'_

Ulrik watched Krista closely until she gave the signal for him to go. _'I have no choice but to do as Krista says. Shadow would never forgive me for what I done.'_ Without hesitation, he made his way towards Daniel. "If it isn't the fairy boy. Surrender and I won't hurt you."

Daniel looked over at Ulrik and quickly stood up. "Who are you?"

"Be careful Daniel." Helia said, focusing his attention on Ulrik. _'Why do I get the feeling that something else is going on?'_

Ulrik smirked, keeping his gaze on Daniel. "Call me Ulrik. Are you going to surrender or make things difficult?" He then glanced over at Helia and smiled a little. "At least one of you has a brain. That being said, I can't have you getting in the way Helia." At that moment, pollen and dust surrounded Helia. "Don't even think about trying to break free from that. You don't have the power to break my paralysis spell. Don't worry, it will wear off in an hour."

"I'm not about to surrender." Daniel said. Within an instant, he transformed into his fairy form. _'I have to keep my guard up around this guy. Who knows what else he can do?'_

Ulrik smirked a little more, not taking his sights off Daniel. "Why does everyone make things difficult? You'll regret messing with me fairy. Don't expect me to hold back either. Terra Dust."

Before Daniel could react, he found himself struggling to get pollen out of his eyes. "Cheap trick." _'This isn't good at all. I can't see anything.'_

"Concentrate Daniel." Helia said. "You can do this, but you need to have faith in yourself."

Daniel nodded, trying his best to make out where Ulrik was. "I won't give up. Neptune Vortex!"

"Earth Barrier." Ulrik said as a shield of vines and dirt formed around him. "It's going to take more than that. Rose Prison."

Before the roses could trap him, Daniel flew up higher into the air. "I'm not falling for that one. Expanding Water Bolts."

Ulrik quickly dodged the attack, or at least thought he did. One of the bolts had managed to strike him in the leg and knock him on his back. Wincing a little, he stood up and shot Daniel a small glare. "That won't stop me. Paralysis."

Within seconds, Daniel found himself unable to move and falling to the ground. _'This is the same thing that he did to Helia. There has to be a way out of this.'_

Krista watched the battle take place, causing her to chuckle a little. _'This is working out better than expected. Now to end this before anyone else shows up.'_ "Shadow Dream." Almost instantly, her spell had put both Helia and Daniel to sleep. "That was too easy. Leave fairy boy and grab Helia. You did well lover."

"So that's what you were planning." Ulrik said. "You were going after the headmaster."

Krista laughed and rubbed Ulrik's face. "You should have seen that one coming. It shouldn't come as that much of a surprise. Without the Winx and their boy toys, the other fairies won't stand a chance. Or haven't you figured that out yet. I thought you were better than that lover."

Ulrik winced a little and threw Helia over his back. _'She does have a point. The others will be weaker without the Winx lovers to bail them out. Draegan took out Aisha and now Helia is out of the picture. That leaves the rest of them and they won't be taken out so easily.'_ Within seconds, he had disappeared within a green aura.

 _'I wonder how Neva is doing.'_ Krista thought, disappearing into shadows.

 **Cloud Tower**

Neva sat in Griffin's office and stared out the window. "It's starting to get boring around here. What's the point of being here if I don't get to have any real fun?"

Shadow appeared behind Neva and glared a little. "You're not here to have fun Neva."

Neva jumped a little and turned to face Shadow. "Master. Forgive me."

"It's quite alright my little ice witch." Shadow said. "You've done well. And now you have a much more important task at hand."

Neva knelt down and nodded. "What do you wish of me master?"

"Find the nature fairy Flora." Shadow said, smirking a little. "Bring her and the essence of nature to me. Ice has a way of killing plants. And tell Draegan to bring Aisha as well."

Neva smiled and stood up. "Certainly my lord." Without hesitation, she disappeared into a block of ice.

 **Magix**

Draegan walked up beside Aisha and smirked. "Thanks to you water fairy, I've proven that fire can stand up to water."

Neva appeared behind Draegan and scoffed a little. "Why are you even talking to this fairy? It's not like she can hear anything you say."

Draegan turned his attention to Neva and shot her a small glare. "It's said that you can still hear, even in a comatose state. No one knows if it's actually true. What are you doing here frost breath?"

Neva chuckled a little and hit Draegan with small blast of magic. "You should watch what you say pyro. I'm on a mission and you get to head back to the castle. Well, you need to take the fairy with you. And don't tell me no either. It's an order from Shadow. Bye bye." With that, she headed straight for the flower shop.

Draegan growled a little and picked up Aisha. "I really can't stand her, but orders are orders." Almost instantly, he disappeared into flames.

Flora had been busy out in the flower shop garden, making sure that every plant got the perfect amount of water. "Drink up little ones. You'll be nice and healthy in no time."

Neva walked into the garden, freezing the plants as she walked. "It won't matter much longer. By the time I'm finished with you, these plants will be dead."

"I won't allow you to do that." Flora said. "Magic Winx! Bloomix!"

Neva smirked, watching as Flora transformed. "Let's see what you got fairy. Ice Bullets!"

Flora quickly dodged the attack and hovered above Neva. "Take this. Spring Shower."

"You're little flower power doesn't scare me." Neva said, jumping out of the way. "Explosion."

One of the explosions managed to strike Flora and knock her to the ground. "Magical Vine Grab."

Vines wrapped around Neva, causing her to chuckle. "Is this the best you got? You must be the weakest of your pathetic group. You're such a worthless fairy." At that moment, the vines froze and shattered into pieces.

Krista appeared from the shadows and smiled a little. "You're sure taking you're sweet time Neva."

Neva glanced at Krista and smiled. "I do like to play a little with my prey. This isn't going to take much longer."

"Hurry up and finish her already." Krista said. "Her precious boy toy is already locked away. He put up more of a fight than this weakling fairy. Well, he would have if he had actually been given a chance."

"What have you done to Helia?" Flora asked.

Krista chuckled and turned her attention to Flora. "I'm sure you would love to know that little fairy. Don't worry. You'll be joining him soon enough."

"Lilac Vortex!" Flora called out. _'Please be alright Helia.'_

Neva winced a little and glared at the nature fairy. "You haven't defeated me yet fairy. Frost Arrow!"

Flora cried out in pain and dropped to one knee. _'I have to keep fighting.'_

"You're done for." Neva said. "Snow Prison!"

"Infinite Echo!"

Krista growled a little and looked over to see Musa. "You won't last long with both of them Neva."

"I didn't ask for your opinion Krista." Neva said. "We'll just have to take out both of them. You deal with Musa. Flora is all mine."

Krista nodded and readied a spell. "I hope you're ready Musa. Shadow Bind!"

Musa dodged the attack and fired off another attack on Krista. "You won't win this battle."

"Chlorophyll Bolts!" Flora called out.

Neva cried out in pain and was knocked back a few feet. "So you do have some fight in you. It won't do you much good. You've become weak and I still have plenty of magic left. Snow Prison!"

Before Flora could react, she was surrounded by a cage of ice and snow. _'I have to get out of here.'_

"You should pay more attention fairy." Neva said. "Watch as your body freezes."

Flora took notice to the freezing, trying to figure out a way to get free. _'What should I do?'_ "Life Essence."

"Crystal Voice!"

Krista held her ears and winced a little. "You'll pay for that fairy. Dark Trance."

 _'What's happening to me?'_ Musa thought, dropping to her knees.

"Musa?!" Flora yelled.

Neva smirked and prepared her next spell. "Frost Arrow!"

Flora cried out in pain and fell to the ground. _'I can't move. My magic is almost drained.'_

Neva laughed and walked up to Flora. "I almost feel sorry for you. Absorption." At that moment, a ring-shaped emblem with a rose in the center appeared and faded into Neva's amulet. "Another fairy down."

"Not bad Neva." Krista said. "Unlike you, I didn't have trouble with my target." Without hesitation, she took Musa's fairy essence. "A diamond with a treble clef in the center. How am I not surprised? Let's get out of here before the remaining winx show up."

Neva nodded as both her and Flora disappeared into ice. _'If I had to guess, there are only three more winx fairies to go. They are dropping like flies.'_

Krista smirked and disappeared into shadows with Musa. _'Taking down the winx is taking too long. I was hoping for a better fight than the one I just had. Or perhaps this amulet has made me a lot stronger than I thought.'_

 **Shadow Lair**

Shadow sat on his throne as Draegan, Neva, and Krista appeared. "Well done you three. That leaves Tecna, Stella, and Bloom."

"Not to mention their boy toys." Krista said.

Shadow shot Krista a small glare and smirked. "Right you are Krista. Next time let me finish. The fairies are a bigger threat than their lovers. It should be quite easy to deal with them. Focus on Bloom. She will pose a large problem."

"Of course master." Krista said.

Ulrik smirked to himself and glanced at Krista out of the corner of his eye. _'I can't let her see anything. Krista could give me away at any moment. If I say or do anything she doesn't like, I'm done for.'_

"Draegan." Shadow said. "You and Ulrik will deal with Bloom. Now leave me. I want to be alone with these fairies." He smiled as the others disappeared, leaving him alone with Flora, Musa, and Aisha.

 _'Why would Shadow make me team up with Ulrik?'_ Draegan thought. _'He would definitely be at a disadvantage against Bloom. Oh well. Who am I to question Shadows' orders? Maybe I can get Ulrik to tell me what's going on between him and Krista.'_

Neva appeared in her room and stared out the window. _'How long will Shadow keep sending us out on these missions? It's pathetic really. Making us do all the work while he does nothing. Not to mention the fact that he won't allow us to take the essence of fairy boy. He better watch his back. You will get what's coming to you Shadow.'_

Ulrik appeared outside with Draegan and looked up at the sky. _'I don't exactly want to be stuck with Draegan, but at least I get to be away from Krista.'_

"Where to partner?" Draegan asked.

Ulrik sighed a little and glanced at Draegan. "Where else? Domino. And try not to get too carried away."

"Sure thing." Draegan said. "As long as you tell me what's going on between you and Krista."

Ulrik shot Draegan a small glare before opening up a small portal. "That's none of your business. Besides, this is not the time or place for that."

"I was just curious." Draegan said. "One way or another, I will get the truth out of you."

Ulrik smirked and stepped through the portal with Draegan. _'He won't stop until I say something. Perhaps I should tell him. I'm just not sure if he can be trusted.'_

Shadow smirked as dark flames surrounded the three fairies. Almost instantly, their Bloomix wings appeared on the wall. _'These wings are very nice additions to my collections. And soon, I will have all the winx wings on display.'_ He chuckled as the walls lit up, revealing all the wings he had collected over the years. Right above his throne were a pair of wings that were displayed in a golden case. _'The grand jewel of my collection.'_

Krista walked up to a cell with a lone prisoner inside and smirked. _'No one will find you here Helia.'_

'


	21. Scoutix Special: Sibling Escape

**Somewhere on Revia**

"I'll be right right behind you I promise." A male voice said.

A blonde girl, looking to be about fifteen, held on to the male's arm with a frightened look on her face. "Don't leave me alone."

"I can't stay." The male said. "You have to get out of here. I have to make sure that everyone else gets out. Trust me alright. I'll be back before you know it. Take care of our little sister."

The blonde nodded as she looked over to the sleeping girl beside her. "Come back soon."

Without hesitation, the male took off running towards a collapsing mansion. _'If I wasn't such a hero, I wouldn't have come back here. They don't deserve to be rescued, but now is not the time for such thoughts. That's not who I am. I can't just let them die.'_ "Mother. Father. Where are you?" He looked around, but the flames made things difficult to see anything. After running around, for what seemed like ages, he came upon two corpses. _'I'm too late.'_

The girl stared out the window of the ship, hoping to find some sign of her brother. _'Where are you?'_ Within a matter of minutes, the ship started to take off. "Please wait. My brother isn't back yet. Please. We can't leave him." Despite her pleas, the ship had no choice but to leave the planet. She watched out the window as the planet was destroyed. _'No. He can't be dead.'_ Almost instantly, her eyes started to fill with tears.

A few minutes before the planet was destroyed, a young boy with orange hair came running out of a crumbling mansion. _'I have to hurry and get back to the ship. They are both counting on me to return. The entire planet is falling to pieces. I don't know who is behind this, but it would seem that they got what they came for.'_ As he was running down the fractured street, he took notice to the ship taking off. _'No. There has to be another way off the planet. She must be completely frightened by now. Forgive me for breaking my promise. I will find you both again. And that's a promise.'_

 _'Brother.'_ The blonde thought, sitting back against the seat. _'I will take care of our little sister. I promise.'_


	22. Downfall Part 2

_~~~~~Previously_

 _Krista and Ulrik attacked Red Fountain, resulting in the capture of Helia. Draegan defeated Aisha and stole her essence. Neva attacked Flora, having almost lost if it wasn't for Krista showing up. Musa appeared to help Flora, only to cause both of them to lose their essence. Ulrik and Draegan have appeared in Domino with their sights set on Bloom ~~~~_

 **Red Fountain**

"Daniel?!" Gale called out, running over to him. "Wake up."

Daniel slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "Gale. What happened?" He then held his head, feeling as if he had been sleeping for hours.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Gale said, helping him stand up.

Daniel regained his composure and looked around. "We were attacked. Everything after that is still a blur."

"It seems that you under some sort of sleep spell." Gale said. "Wait. You said we. Who else was here?"

Daniel leaned up against a wall and held his arm. "I was talking with the headmaster before the attack. They came out of nowhere. Wait a minute. Where is he?"

"If he's not here then I'd say that he's been taken captive." Gale said.

Daniel slid to the ground and kept his gaze down. "I never should have came here."

"It's not your fault Daniel." Gale said. "These Collectors are targeting all the schools. They are after a lot of people. You can't blame everything that goes wrong on yourself. We'll figure this out alright."

Daniel looked up at Gale and sighed. "I know. We don't even know where their hideout is."

 **Domino**

"Tell me what's going on between you and Krista." Draegan said, looking around at the area.

Ulrik stopped in his tracks and turned to Draegan. "You just can't let this go. She has something on me."

"I see." Draegan said, chuckling a little. "And you're stuck as her boyfriend. This is gold."

Ulrik sighed and started walking again. _'Why did I tell Draegan anyways? I knew how he would react. At least I didn't go into full detail about everything.'_

"Let's just get this over with." Draegan said. "I want a shot at the fire fairy."

Ulrik nodded and took a look around. "Let's get their attention first. You're pretty good at that."

Draegan smirked and started setting things on fire. "Come on out fire fairy."

"How dare you attack innocent people?" Bloom asked, hovering in the air above them.

"It's about time." Draegan said, looking up at the fairy.

Ulrik leaned up against a nearby building and watched the events unfold. "I'll leave this one to you Draegan."

"With pleasure." Draegan said. "Let's see how good you really are Bloom. Phoenix Fire." Within an instant, a phoenix made of fire flew towards Bloom.

Bloom quickly dodged the attack and readied one of her own. "Volcanic Attack!"

"Is that it?" Draegan asked, not moving an inch from where he stood. "Inferno Spike!" A spike made of fire struck Bloom, causing her to fall a little. "Fire doesn't work on me sweetheart. I expected a lot more from you."

"I'm just getting started." Bloom said. "Flame Storm!"

Draegan winced a little and glared at the fairy before him. "You'll pay for that. Flame Vortex!"

Bloom cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "I'm not finished yet. Flame Storm Vortex Burst!"

Draegan cried out and fell to the ground. "Not bad fairy. Either way, you will go down."

"You're the one that's going down." Bloom said.

Draegan growled and slowly got up. "I'm not finished. I will defeat you. One way or another. Phoenix Fire Cage!" Within seconds, a cage formed around Bloom. "You're all mine now."

Bloom winced in pain, feeling her energy start to drain. _'I can't move.'_

"Bloom?!" Sky called out, running up to the cage. "Hold on. I'll get you out of there."

Draegan glared and fisted his hands. "If it isn't pretty boy. Do you actually think that you can save her? I hate people like you."

"This is taking too long." Ulrik said, stepping away from the building. "We don't have time for this. Paralysis. You can't save anyone if you're unable to move."

"Sky?!" Bloom called out.

"Light Spectrum!"

Ulrik so the attack coming, reacting quickly. "Earth Barrier."

"Another fairy to join the fun." Draegan said, looking to Stella. "We'll just take care of two birds with one stone. Or in this case, three."

Stella landed in front of Draegan and readied an attack. "You won't get away with hurting my friends. Ray of Pure Light."

Draegan barely dodged the attack, letting it hit him in the leg. "I won't allow some blonde bimbo to take me down. Flame Vortex!"

"Solar Halo!" Stella called out, blocking the attack.

Ulrik sighed and shook his head. "Would you like some help Draegan?"

"I don't need your help." Draegan said, keeping his focus on Stella. "That won't stop me. Inferno Spike."

Stella was knocked back a little from the attack, causing her to wince a little. "That's just rude. Light Spectrum."

"This again." Draegan said, wincing in pain. "Is that the best you got? I can take anything you throw at me."

"Terra Dust."

Stella tried to clear her eyes, finding it hard to see. "I can't see."

Draegan turned to Ulrik and glared. "I had this under control."

"You were taking too long." Ulrik said. "Hurry up and end this already."

Draegan turned his attention back to Stella. "I've had enough of these fairies. Phoenix Fire Cage."

Before the cage could fully form, Stella was pushed out of the way and knocked to the ground. "Ow."

"I wasn't about to let you get stuck in here." Brandon said, dropping to his knees.

Stella sat up or knees, focusing her attention on Brandon. "I'll get you out of there Brandon."

Draegan glared and readied another attack. "Enough of this."

"Would you like some help?" Ulrik asked.

"I don't need your help." Draegan said. "Phoenix Fire!"

Stella quickly stood up and faced Draegan. "Solar Halo." The phoenix struck the shield and broke apart.

"I'm not finished yet blondey." Draegan said, growling a little. "Phoenix Arrow!"

"Total Eclipse!" The spells struck each other and burst apart.

Ulrik leaned up against a building and closed his eyes. "Sure you don't want any help?"

"Not gonna happen Ulrik." Draegan said, breathing heavily. "Inferno Spike!"

"Sunlight Stillness!"

Ulrik opened his eyes and sighed a little. "I'm getting tired of waiting around. Terra Dust!"

"What's the big idea?" Stella asked, trying to clear her eyes.

Draegan glared once more at Ulrik. "I said that I didn't need any help."

"This fight has gone on long enough." Ulrik said. "Put her in a cage and let's get out of here."

Draegan growled a little and turned his attention away from Ulrik. "Phoenix Fire Cage!"

Stella returned to her casual form and fell to the ground unconscious. Without hesitation, Ulrik and Draegan disappeared with their prisoners.

 **Shadow Lair**

Shadow sat upon his throne and smiled as he watched Ulrik and Draegan lock up their prisoners. _'Only one fairy left to go and the Winx will be out of the way.'_

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." A voice said. "Although, it's a little pathetic that haven't done anything yourself."

Shadow smirked, resting his head on his hand. "That's what others are for. Besides, I can't have the Winx getting in my way. Those other fairies won't know what hit them."

"You're such a child. Relying on weaklings won't get you anywhere. Keep going on like this and you will fail."

Shadow glared, keeping his gaze on the figure before him. "I didn't bring you here to ask for your opinion. Remember that I'm the one in charge here. And I have something special in mind for you."

"Is that so?"

"It will require paying a visit to an old friend of yours." Shadow said. "I'm sure that he'd love to see you."

The figure smirked and faded off into the shadows.

Shadow chuckled and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. _'It's time to pay a little visit.'_

 **Alfea**

Daniel sat in the quad, keeping his gaze on the ground. _'How could I let this happen? Some fairy I am. I'll just get in the way of everyone else.'_

"He's really upset." Colton said.

Lyon smirked and leaned up against a tree. "It serves him right. No one could be more pathetic."

Alex glared, grabbing Lyon by the shirt and slamming him against a tree. "You have no idea what he's going through. He's clearly depressed, but you don't seem to care about that."

"Alex." Gale said. "That's enough. Let him go."

Alex sighed and released Lyon. "We have bigger things to worry about."

Lyon chuckled a little, keeping his attention on Alex. "It must really tick you off to have your guard dog intervene."

"Grow up Lyon." Felicity said, walking up behind him. "What exactly is your problem?"

Lyon turned to Felicity and growled a little. "That's none of your business sweetheart."

Asher walked up to Daniel and smiled. "Is there something wrong brother? You don't seem like yourself."

Daniel glanced up at Asher and released a small sigh. "You have no idea Asher. Things just keep getting worse around here."

"I will never understand the male species." Felicity said, turning her attention to Asher. "Who's that talking to Daniel?"

Alex turned around to face Daniel. "I'm not sure. I've never seen him before."

"Something definitely isn't right here." Gale said, keeping his gaze on Asher. "I have a bad feeling."

Asher sat down beside Daniel and looked up at the sky. "Maybe you underestimate yourself."

"I haven't been able to save anyone brother." Daniel said.

Asher smiled a little and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "That's not what I heard. Didn't you put out a few fires here? You're stronger than you realize. You just need to have more confidence."

"Who cares?" Lyon asked, before walking off away from everyone.

Felicity glared at Lyon, watching him walk away. "That guy is really starting to get on my nerves."

"That makes both of us." Alex said.

Daniel sighed a little and looked over at Asher. "You're right. I just don't know what to do."

Asher stood up and stretched out. "You'll figure it out. Just be careful alright. I've heard about what's been happening lately and I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Alright." Daniel said. "Take care of yourself."

Asher nodded and looked to the gate. "You don't have to worry about me. Everything is going great for me." Without waiting for Daniel's response, he walked off and disappeared out of sight. _'You have no idea what's really going on brother. I'll have everything I want in due time.'_

Colton walked up to Daniel and sat down. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine Colton." Daniel said. "There's just so much going on right now and I feel responsible."

"Who were you talking to?" Colton asked.

"My brother Asher." Daniel said. "He comes by every now and then. It's always nice to talk to my family."

Gale walked up to Colton and Daniel. "Your brother. You've never mentioned any siblings before."

Daniel looked up at Gale and smiled a little. "I don't get to see them much. My siblings are the only family I have left."

"It's a little strange that he would show up here now." Alex said. "Not that I'm suggesting anything."

Daniel turned his attention to Alex. "Asher doesn't get to see me often. This makes twice that he has shown up since I came here. It's nice to hear from him. He shows up at just the right moments and helps me feel better."

"How does he know when to show up?" Gale asked. "It's a little odd, but I suppose that it's just mere coincidence. Still, something didn't feel right while he was here."

"I'm not sure." Daniel said. "It's like he has a sixth sense about these things."

Gale turned his attention to Alex. "You seem to be doing a lot better. Is there anything new with Rave?

Alex leaned up against a tree and looked down. "I've managed to regain my strength, but I can't say the same for Rave. And I'm not even sure what this whole ice magic thing is about."

"You'll figure it out Alex." Gale said. "You know him better than anyone. The question is why he wants this ice magic of yours."

"Do I?" Alex asked. "Do I really know him? Rave has hated me for as long as I can remember. I actually thought that he had changed after everything with Splendora."

Gale chuckled a little and released a small sigh. "He's changed a lot more than realize. Rave wanted you dead, but he chose not to do so."

"You're right about that." Alex said. "That doesn't mean I know him that well. We've never been that close. And I have no idea how to help him."

Gale placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and smiled. "You don't have to figure this out alone. You've got friends that will help you. We'll figure this out together."

Alex nodded and looked up at the sky. "I just hope we figure it out quickly."

Zaven sat down beside Rave, keeping his gaze on the floor. _'If I had paid more attention to him, this never would have happened. I won't make that mistake again.'_

Rave tossed and turned in his sleep, struggling to get free. _'I have to get out of this place. I have to get the magic.'_

"You have to fight it Rave." Zaven said. "Don't let it control you."

Rave's eyes shot up as he continued to struggle. "Let me go."

"This isn't you." Zaven said. "Remember who you are."

Rave growled a little as he was surrounded in shadows. "What's wrong old man? Don't you like what you've turned me into?"

"Listen to yourself." Zaven said. "The shadows have warped your mind."

Rave laughed and broke free from his bindings. "Why should I listen to you? You never cared for me." At that moment the shadows burst across the room, knocking Zaven unconscious. "No one will stand in my way." With that, he blasted a hole in the wall and ran out into the quad. _'Now to find Alex.'_

Daniel heard the explosion and stood up. "That didn't sound good."

"Let's check it out." Alex said, taking off with Gale and Daniel. "It's Rave."

"What happened to him?" Gale asked.

Catarina and Rosella ran to up to the boys, keeping their gaze on Rave.

Catarina dropped to her knees and held her head in pain. _'Where is this coming from?'_

Gale helped Catarina up and held her close. "Are you alright?"

"His aura." Catarina said, wincing a little. "I've never felt anything like it before."

Alex looked down and fisted his hands a little. "I'm the one he wants. I'll draw his attention. Get everyone else to safety."

"I'll come with you." Rosella said.

Alex looked to Rosella and shook his head. "No. This is something I need to do on my own." Without waiting for a response, he took off towards Rave. "Rave."

Rave turned to Alex and laughed. "There you are brother. I've been waiting for you. Give up that ice magic." At that moment, a blast of shadow magic struck the ground. "I'm stronger than you could ever be Alex."

"Enough of this." Alex said. "You're going to hurt someone."

Rave smirked and sent a blast of energy at a balcony full of students. "Oops. Give me your magic and I'll stop."

Alex was about to run over and help the students, but was stopped by a shadow blast. "I'm the one you want brother. Leave everyone else alone."

"Digital Room!" At that moment, a cube shaped room surrounded the girls and kept them from falling.

Rave laughed and glanced at Tecna. "If it isn't the last of the Winx. You're all alone sweetheart."

"Alex won't admit it right now, but he does need us." Gale said, taking off with Daniel and the girls.

"What have you done to my friends?" Tecna asked.

Rave smirked, turning his attention back on Alex. "I haven't done anything to them. I sure wish I did though."

"Listen to yourself Rave." Alex said. "You're being controlled. The Rave I know wouldn't let anyone control him."

Rave chuckled, sending a blast of of energy at Alex and knocking him to the ground. "You never knew me."

"I won't fight you brother." Alex said, wincing in pain.

Gale ran up to Alex and helped him off the ground. "You don't have a choice Alex. He's not your brother anymore."

"Are you ready Catarina?" Rosella asked.

"Let's do this." Catarina said, nodding towards Rosella's question.

"Charmix!" Within an instant, both Rosella and Catarina transformed.

"Rosella. Fairy of Unicorns!"

"Catarina. Fairy of Aura!"

"Don't hurt him." Alex said, wincing once more.

Gale continued to hold up Alex, turning to Daniel. "You know. It's alright if you don't want to fight. No one will blame you."

"No." Daniel said. "I want to fight. It's the only way I'll get stronger. It's not about me. Charmix!" He quickly transformed and turned to Rave. "It's time for you to stop hurting innocent people. Gale. Get Alex out of here. He's in condition to do anything right now."

"You can do this Daniel." Gale said, quickly looking for a place to take Alex. Before he could do anything, he was struck in the back with something. At that moment, he fell to his knees and winced in pain. "What was that?"

Krista laughed and stared at Gale. "Haven't you learned anything? I thought things would be different after the last time we met. I can't allow you to go anywhere with frosty boy."

"Krista?!" Daniel looked over to her and glared a little.

"Be careful Daniel." Gale said. "She knows exactly what she's doing. You can't let your guard down around here"

Daniel glanced at Gale and nodded. "I know. I've had a run in with her. Who do you think attacked Helia?"

Krista giggled and turned her attention to Daniel. "Oh how I loved that encounter. It's a shame that I can't go back and take down both of you again. Your precious headmaster was nothing more than fool. I expected so much more. That battle was quite disappointing. And you couldn't do a thing to help him. Oh wait. You were unconscious. It was truly a nice victory, but it wasn't as nice as taking down that music fairy."

"I won't let that happen again." Daniel said.

"What have you done to Musa?" Tecna asked.

Krista looked up at Tecna and smirked. "Tecna. It's so easy when the flies come right to the spider web. As for Musa and your friends..." She paused and started laughing. "Let's just say that they won't be using any magic or flying anytime soon. The essence of a fairy truly is beautiful. Watching them all have their essence stolen was a magnificent sight. Although, it doesn't compare to their wings being clipped."

"Bio-Rhythmic Blast!"

Krista dodged the attack and laughed. "Is that the best you got techno geek?"

"Expanding Water Bolts!"

Krista winced in pain and glared at Daniel. "You'll pay for that fairy boy. I'm supposed to leave you be, but no one is around to stop me from beating the crap out of you."

"You're not getting away this time brother." Rave said, firing off more shadow blasts at Alex and Gale.

"Crystal Shield!"

"Rachel." Rosella said smiling.

Rachel smiled, landing in front of Gale and Alex. "Get out of here you two. I'll hold him off."

Rave growled and fired another blast of energy at Rachel. "Curse you fairy. I won't let you get in my way."

"Wall of Thorns."

"Let's go girls." Catarina said.

Gale slowly stood up and helped Alex to his feet. "Be careful girls." He then slowly made his way to safe spot away from the battle.

"There has to be a way to get through to him." Alex said.

Gale sighed and sat down beside Alex. "In the state he's in, there's nothing that can be done. I don't know what's causing it, but he's not the one in control."

Krista smirked, keeping her gaze on Daniel and Tecna. "Two against one doesn't seem fair. For you that is. Show me what you can really do. Not that it will be enough to defeat me."

"Where have you taken the others?" Daniel asked.

Krista laughed and smiled a little. "You don't have to worry about them. You'll be joining them soon enough. Shadow Boomerangs."

"Organic Shield!"

Daniel looked to Tecna and smiled. "Thanks. Hit me with your best shot Krista."

"Do you have any idea how boomerangs work?" Krista asked, as the boomerangs struck Tecna and Daniel in the back.

"Is that all you know how to do?" Daniel asked, wincing a little. "If that's it, then you don't stand a chance."

"Bio-Rhythmic Flow!"

Krista dodged the attack and laughed even more. "You haven't seen anything yet. Shadow Boomerang Blast!"

"Aqua Shield!" Daniel called out, forming a shield around himself. "I won't let you win. No one else is getting captured. Neptune Vortex!"

"Bio-Rhythmic Blast!"

Krista cried out in pain and dropped to her knees, growling a little. "I've had enough of you two. Shadow Boomerang Spear!"

Tecna winced in pain and fell to her knees. "She shouldn't be able to move, let alone fight in her condition. It's simply not logical at all. I don't know where she's getting this much power, but it seems to amplify when she gets angry."

"There has to be something we can do." Daniel said, dropping to one knee. "She has to have some sort of weakness."

Krista smiled and walked up to Daniel. "Silly boy." She then rubbed the side of his face and laughed. "I am anything but weak sweetheart. If you'll excuse me, I have one last essence to get and then there will be no one to stop our plans."

"Organic Cube!"

"You actually think that's going to protect you Tecna." Krista said, walking up to her. "I find that quite offensive. That shield of yours won't stand up to my power. Shadow Boomerang Spear!"

"Crystal Shield!"

Draegan appeared in a geyser of flames and laughed. "This is hilarious. I thought that you would be done with this by now Krista. Man was I wrong. You obviously can't handle them on your own. Or perhaps I will just sit back and watch you fail. Even going so far as to attack fairy boy. Shadow is not going to be happy with you."

"Stay out of this Draegan." Krista said, glaring at him.

Draegan sulked a little, before a sly smile formed on his face. "And here I thought we were friends. Just admit that you can't handle it and I might lend a hand."

"I don't need help." Krista said. "Let alone from the likes of you."

Draegan smirked and leaned up against the building. "Fine. If that's how you want it."

Felicity ran over to Gale and Alex. "What happened to you two? Let me help you."

"There's no time for that Felicity." Gale said. "The others need your help. If you don't heal them, they'll lose their essence for sure. We'll be fine here."

Felicity nodded and took towards the battle. "Charmix! Felicity. Fairy of Healing."

"Felicity." Catarina said. "It's great to see you."

Rave chuckled and smirked. "And more of them show up. You fairies pop up like weeds."

"Did you forget that you're at Alfea?" Catarina asked. "Of course there are fairies."

"I'm here too." Rachel said, flying up to Catarina. "Let's them what we can do."

Draegan smiled and looked to Rachel. "Interesting. They are almost all here. Only two of them are missing. I was so hoping to see the fire one."

"Just mind your own business." Krista said. "I have an essence to get."

 _'I have to heal everyone.'_ Felicity thought. "Healing Rain."

"I almost forgot about Felicity's healing abilities." Gale said. "She's able to heal multiple people at once."

Alex closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. "You got that right. It's still a lot for them to take on."

Ulrik watched Alex from the shadows, looking down a little. _'I wish I understood why Shadow is so interested in him. What makes his ice magic any different from any other? Or was he just looking for a way to control Rave.'_

"Enough talking." Rave said, sending out a wave of shadow energy.

"Light Arrow!"

"Orb of Light!"

"Crystal Bolt!"

"Aura Blast!"

Rave created a shadow shield and laughed. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into fairies."

"That didn't affect him at all." Rachel said.

Rave smirked, keeping his gaze on the girls. "Did you really think that you four could defeat me? My powers have grown a lot more than you realize."

"I have to help them." Alex said, slowly standing up.

Gale stood up and grabbed Alex's arm. "Think about what you're doing. You're too emotionally attached."

"And they're not strong enough to stop him." Alex said, sighing a little. "I don't know what to do. If it wasn't for this ice magic, he wouldn't be doing this."

"You're wrong."

"Who said that?" Gale asked. "Show yourself."

Ulrik stepped out of the shadows and stared at the boys. "My name is Ulrik."

"You're one of the Collectors." Gale said.

"Did I miss something?" Alex asked.

Ulrik chuckled a little and released a small sigh. "Who in the world came up with that?"

"We had to call them something." Gale said. "Colton thought Collectors was the best fit."

"What do you want?" Alex asked.

"Relax." Ulrik said. "I'm not here to fight."

"What are you here for?" Gale asked.

Ulrik sighed and shook his head. "If you would be quiet and listen. Look, for some reason my master sees that magic of yours as a threat. There's nothing you can do for your brother. He's been cursed by the very weapons he uses. My master just quickened the effects. Even if he hadn't done so, the shadow weapons would have consumed him anyway."

"Why are you telling us this?" Gale asked.

"I'm concerned." Ulrik said. "Rave's power is uncontrollable and unpredictable. He doesn't even know who he is anymore."

Rave laughed, keeping his gaze on the fairies before him. "Hit me with your best shot fairies. I want to see what you all can really do."

"We have to use a convergence spell." Catarina said.

"Are you sure?" Rosella asked. "We've never even done one before."

"We have to try." Catarina said.

"Magic Scoutix! Convergence!" As it was about to hit Rave, the spell faded away into nothing.

Rave snickered a little and smiled. "Did you really think that would work against me? How pathetic. You're not even ready for a spell like that."

"Your friends aren't going to last much longer." Krista said smiling. "This has gone on long enough. You two are starting to bore me. Shadow Dream."

Daniel winced as his eyes started to feel heavy. "Not this again."

"I feel so tired." Tecna said, falling to the ground unconscious.

Krista laughed and walked over to Tecna. "And now to wrap this up. Absorption." She smiled as the essence appeared. "The Winx will no longer stand in the way. You've failed again fairy boy. You're so helpless and weak. You couldn't save anyone." Without hesitation, she disappeared with Tecna.

 _'How could I let it happen again?'_ Daniel thought, falling unconscious.

"I'm going to save him." Alex said.

"Aren't you listening?" Ulrik asked. "That isn't your precious brother anymore. You would need someone that's able to remove curses. Cloud Tower is frozen over, so don't expect anyone there to help. If you go out there, he will kill you."

"I don't care." Alex said. "My brother is still in there. Haven't you had someone you truly care about?"

Ulrik sighed and looked down. "I did once, but I've already lost that person."

"You're not like the others." Gale said. "You returned Abigail's essence after stealing it. She'd still be unconscious if it wasn't for you. Your friends wouldn't have done such a thing."

Ulrik looked up at Gale and smirked. "They are anything but my friends. Abigail helped me. All I did was return the favor. I don't want to fight any of you."

"How can we trust you?" Alex asked. "Why have you been attacking us if you don't want to fight?"

"I don't have a choice." Ulrik said.

"Healing Rain."

"We can't keep this up." Rosella said.

Rave laughed and launched a ball of shadow energy at the girls. "It's time for you all to die."

"Lava Shield!"

"Crystal Shield!"

"Carmen. Rachel." Catarina said.

Carmen winced a little and smiled. "Who said you could have a party without us?"

"This isn't the time for jokes Carmen." Rachel said. "We can't keep this up forever."

Rave smirked and fired off three more shadow balls. "Pathetic fairies." He then snickered a little as the girls were knocked to ground. "I'll get rid of your little healer first. It's time to die blondie." At that moment, he formed a shadow arrow and shot it at Felicity.

"Felicity?!" Abigail called out.

"This can't be the end." Felicity said, closing her eyes.

Lyon quickly jumped in front of Felicity and cried out in pain. "Dumb girl. You...should've...known...better..." He then fell to the ground unconscious.

"I don't believe it." Felicity said, holding Lyon close. "He saved me. Lyon has been nothing but a jerk and yet he still came to protect me. I was wrong about him. Deep down, he truly does care."

Rave laughed and walked up to Felicity. "How pathetic. Only a fool would do such a thing."

"He's not a fool." Felicity said. "Protecting someone isn't a weakness."

Rave smirked and shook his head. "And now there is no one left to protect you. No one is coming to save you now. Shadow Slash."

At that moment, a cloaked figured jumped in front of Felicity and threw Rave against a wall. "That's no way to treat a lady. Where are your manners?"

"It can't be." Felicity said, completely in shock.

The figured removed the cloak to reveal with a male with windswept orange hair and light blue eyes. "Sorry that I kept you waiting Felicity. I'm glad to see that you're alright."

Rave climbed out of the rubble and glared at the newcomer. "I don't know who the hell you are, but I will make you pay for that. Dark Ray!"

"Storm Shield!" The male held off the attack and smirked. "It's going to take a lot more than that."

Rave smirked and readied another spell. "I'm just getting started. Shadow Slash."

"Star Shower!"

Rave cried out in pain and growled. "I won't let you win. Dark Storm!"

"Star Storm!" The spell managed to break through Rave's and knock him on his back.

Rave glared and disappeared into the shadows. _'I'll have to keep my eye on that one. Now to finish what I started.'_ He smirked a little as he appeared behind Alex. "Brother." Without hesitation, he stabbed Alex in the back and absorbed the ice magic. "Enjoy dying." Laughing, he disappeared into the shadows.

Alex winced in pain and fell to the ground bleeding. _'Rave. I'll find a way to help you.'_

"Alex?!" Gale called out, catching him before he hit the ground. "Come on. Don't you die on me."

Ulrik sighed and walked over to Alex. "Healing Rose. He will be fine after some rest."

"Why would you help him?" Gale asked. "We're enemies."

"Not all of us are cold hearted." Ulrik said. "I should go. Don't expect me to keep helping you out alright. Some of us have a lot more to lose than you realize." Without waiting for a response, he disappeared out of sight.

 **Shadow Lair**

"You've done well Rave." Shadow said.

Rave smirked as an ice crystal appeared in his hand. "Piece of cake."

"And now all the Winx are down." Shadow said, taking the essences and wings of Bloom and Stella. "There is no one to stop me now." He then turned his attention to Tecna and took her wings as well.

Ulrik appeared in the dungeons, looking at all the prisoners. _'We've captured so many. Was it really worth all of this?'_

"Doubting yourself lover." Krista said, walking up to Ulrik. "Aren't you happy about what we've accomplished?"

Ulrik sighed and leaned up against the wall. "I don't have to tell you anything."

Krista giggled and kissed him. "That's no way to talk to your girlfriend. You are my boyfriend after all."

"I'm not your anything." Ulrik said.

Krista smirked and started circling him. "You just don't get how this works. I don't say a word about your betrayal and you do exactly as I say. Unless you'd rather deal with Shadow. Something tells me that's a battle you will lose."

Ulrik narrowed his eyes, keeping his gaze on Krista. "What do you want now love?"

"That's much better." Krista said, curling into him. "Was that so hard my little puppet? I know that you told Draegan about us." She then walked about halfway across the room and threw her boomerangs, striking him in the back. "That was very bad of you. Bad dog."

Ulrik winced in pain and fell to his knees. _'What have I gotten myself into?'_

"Bad dogs deserve to be punished." Krista said, readying another attack.

"Phoenix Fire!"

Krista winced and glared at Draegan. "What the hell Draegan?!"

"Get lost Krista." Draegan said, watching her take off out of sight. "I'm not going to keep saving your ass Ulrik." Before Ulrik could respond, he disappeared into flames.

Ulrik sighed and sat up against the wall. "What should I do now?"

"You could let us out of here." Brandon said.

Ulrik smirked a little and turned to the cell. "You can forget about that."

"It was worth a shot." Brandon said.

Ulrik chuckled a little and looked up at the ceiling. "Don't start thinking that I'm going to turn traitor just like that."

"It seems like you already are one." Helia said.

Ulrik stopped laughing and focused his attention on the boys. "It doesn't matter."

"Where are the girls?" Sky asked.

Ulrik looked down and closed his eyes. "I'm not sure. Don't worry alright. They're still alive."

"What have you done to them?" Sky asked.

"I didn't do anything." Ulrik said. "No one goes against Shadow alright. You follow orders without question. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

"Why did you then?" Helia asked.

"I didn't have a choice." Ulrik said. "I've seen things you couldn't even imagine. The things that Shadow does are beyond me. You don't want that sort of thing in your head. I had no choice but to join him. He took someone special from me. Someone I promised to protect."

"Who is Shadow?" Sky asked.

"Asher." Ulrik said. "That's his real name. He's Daniel's younger brother." He chuckled a little and closed his eyes. "I've said too much. He's bound to find out for sure."

Neva watched from the shadows and smiled to herself. _'So that's Shadow's secret. It would be easy to take out Ulrik right now, but there's no fun in that. Not when I can let Shadow deal with him. All that's left to do now is to figure out Asher's weakness.'_

"Let us help you." Helia said. "You have to realize that Asher needs to be stopped. With your help, we may just stand a chance."

Ulrik opened his eyes, keeping his gaze on the floor. "I couldn't help even if I wanted to. Asher needs help. I don't know why he's doing all of this, but he's obsessed. And even if I did let you go, you wouldn't be able to get back here. The barrier around this castle keeps it from being detected. Besides, I can't do anything until my friends are safe."

"Friends?" Brandon asked. "I thought there was just one."

Ulrik chuckled a little and looked up. "Believe it or not, but Draegan is my friend as well. He's not as bad as he seems. I don't even know where my other friend is. Only Asher knows that location." He sighed and stood up. "You're outnumbered and outmatched. No one can stop him now."

"You're giving up without even trying." Sky said.

Draegan listened from the shadows behind Ulrik and slid to the floor. _'He thinks of me as a friend. It's not like I feel the same way. I did save his life though. What am I doing?'_ "Get out of here Ulrik. You're too kind for this sort of thing."

"Draegan." Ulrik said, turning to him. "How much did you hear?"

Draegan walked out of the shadows and held his arm. "Everything after you called me your friend. I don't know why, but I think of you as a friend as well. Just go on and get out of this place. I'll find that special someone of yours."

"You don't have to do that." Ulrik said.

Draegan chuckled and leaned up against a pillar. "I wouldn't do this for just anyone. Things are starting to get out of control. They will need all the help they can get. And you know more about what's going on than anyone else. Just go before I change my mind."

Ulrik nodded and unlocked the cell door. "You're a good friend Draegan." He then opened up a gateway to Alfea.

"What about the Winx?" Sky asked. "We can't just leave them here."

"There's nothing we can do for them now." Ulrik said. "The only way to save them is by restoring what Asher stole from them. Rushing in there like this would be suicide. We can get help and be back here in no time."

Draegan shook his head and sighed. "Hurry up and go before your girlfriend catches you or worse."

"She's not my girlfriend." Ulrik said, stepping through the gateway with the guys.

Draegan watched the gateway close, looking down a little. "Stay safe my friend."

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Zane looked across the lake and released a small sigh. "We're nowhere strong enough to win. Or perhaps that's not it at all. We're not a true team. That's why we can't win. The girls can't even do a convergence spell. And I'm out here talking to myself."

A cloaked female figure appeared behind Zane and smirked. "You're not alone."

Zane turned around, keeping his gaze on the figure. "It's not possible. How are you here?"

The female laughed and rubbed his face. "The how doesn't matter. The point is that I'm here."

"How did you find me?" Zane asked, as a shiver went down his spine. "I broke our ties already."

The girl laughed and grabbed him from behind. "I can always find you my pet. I created you and nothing will keep me away."

"You shouldn't be here." Zane said. "Leave me be."

The girl let go and stepped in front of him. "Now you know I can't do that. It's time for your true self to rise again."

Rachel made her way towards the lake in search of Zane. _'I wonder where Zane could be. He just took off without saying a word. I hope he's alright.'_ "Zane!" Taking notice to him and the girl, she quickly hid behind a tree. _'His true self. Who is that with him?'_

The girl laughed, taking notice to Rachel. "I see what's going on here. You haven't told your friends anything. Keeping secrets is never a good thing." She then pulled out a dark gem and held it in front of him. "You do remember what this is right. And I already know who you're first target will be."

Zane stared at the gem in fear, glancing towards Rachel. "I won't do it."

"You don't have a choice." The girl said. "I could embed this in your chest like last time, but you would just carve it out like before. I won't make that mistake again." A sly smile came across her face as dark tendrils wrapped around Zane. "Come here fairy. I wouldn't want you to miss this." At that moment, the tendrils wrapped around Rachel and pulled her over to the lake.

"Let her go." Zane said.

The girl laughed, focusing her attention on Zane. "And miss out on a opportunity like. I'm the one in control my pet. I know exactly what to do with this fairy since you care about her so much." Almost instantly, Rachel was sealed inside the gem. "Don't worry. She's alive. For now that is."

"What have you done to her?" Zane asked.

"She's sealed away in our special gem." The girl said. "It's perfect for a gem fairy. You'll be together forever. She'll be so close and yet, so far away." She laughed as the gem was absorbed into his eye. "You won't be tearing it out now. If any damage shall come to the gem, she will feel it. And if it breaks. Well, you don't want it to break. Unless you want the vision of her corpse. She won't know about the destruction you will cause or the blood you spill. Your little fairy is in a deep slumber. Now transform and lay waste to everything."

Zane cried out in pain as he transformed into a massive, werewolf like beast with glowing red eyes, jet black fur, razor sharp claws, four large horns on his head, and a spiked tail that acted as a whip. He let loose a loud roar and stood by his mistress.

"Good boy." The girl said, petting his head. "Show them what you can do." She laughed as he took off towards Magix. "That should keep those fools busy."


	23. Witches and Charms

**New Characters:**

 **Rafe:** Felicity's Older Brother

 **Rangda:** Witch of Demonic Beasts

 **Cassie:** A 12 year old little girl that Ulrik takes care of

 _~~~~Previously~~~~_

 _Bloom, Stella, and Tecna were defeated and captured by the Collectors along with Sky and Brandon. Rave broke free from his bindings and attacked the Scoutix. After a long battle, Rave managed to take off with Alex's ice magic. Krista also managed to show up, taking down both Daniel and Tecna. Ulrik appeared before Alex and Gale, providing some information about Rave's condition. Meanwhile in the Shadow Lair, the essences and wings of the last Winx fairies were stolen. After some time in the dungeons, Ulrik decided to release the guys and lend a hand. Over at Lake Roccaluce, Zane ran into a mysterious witch that brought out his true self. ~~~~_

 **Magix City**

Zane appeared in the city and started destroying buildings. People screamed and ran through the streets, trying to find a safe place to go. The streets themselves were filled with dust and debris. Anything left from the destroyed buildings were set on fire. He released a loud roar and continued on the path of destruction.

 **Alfea**

Ulrik stepped through the gateway with Helia, Brandon and Sky. "It's a little strange being here."

"I had a feeling that you would be back here Ulrik." Gale said, walking up to him.

"How's Alex doing?" Ulrik asked.

"He's completely out of it." Gale said.

Rosella ran over to Alex and held him close. "I've got you. Stay strong Alex."

"We've all been hit pretty hard." Catarina said, walking up next to Gale.

Daniel opened his eyes and stood up. "Things did not go as planned."

"Are you alright Daniel?" Colton asked.

Daniel nodded, focusing his attention on Colton. "I'll be fine."

"Healing Rain." Felicity held Lyon in her lap and gently brushed the hair out of his face. _'That should make everyone feel back at full strength. Perhaps there is a chance that he can change.'_

"Everyone is so exhausted." Carmen said. "We couldn't handle another attack."

Rexx kissed Carmen and smiled. "Everyone will be fine Carmen. They just need to rest up."

"I wonder where Rachel is." Abigail said.

Colton joined Abigail and looked around. "Zane is missing as well."

"Do you think something bad happened to them?" Carmen asked.

"Zane and Rachel can take care of themselves." Gale said. "Zane probably went off to be alone. He's always been like that. I'd say that Rachel went after him."

Catarina nodded and released a small sigh. "They still shouldn't go off on their own. The Collectors are still out there and they can strike from anywhere. No offense Ulrik." Before anyone could respond, she held her head in pain.

"What's wrong Catarina?" Gale asked, holding her.

"Something's wrong." Catarina said. "It's coming from the city. There's been a shift in it's aura. I can't tell what it is."

Rexx pulled out his phone and pulled up the city. "We got big trouble."

"What is that thing?" Brandon asked.

"It's a demonic beast." Ulrik said. "The one who summoned it must be pretty powerful. These beasts are difficult to control and they are quite powerful."

Daniel joined the others and looked towards the city. "Let's get going then. We can't just stand by and do nothing."

"You're also outmatched." Ulrik said.

Catarina started to breathe heavily, curling into Gale's chest. "He's right. We wouldn't stand a chance. Rachel and Zane are missing. On top of that, Alex and Lyon will be out of it for a while."

"You've given up without even trying." Rosella said. "Innocent people are getting hurt. The least we can do is lead it out of the city."

Gale rubbed Catarina's head and nodded. "Let's go. That thing isn't going to stop unless we do something about it."

"You all are crazy." Ulrik said. "You're going to get yourselves killed going after that demon. Only a witch would know what to do. Seeing as Cloud Tower is frozen over, you're short one witch."

Carmen smiled and spun around. "Then we'll just have to defrost it."

"Do you have any idea how much heat it would take to unfreeze everything?" Ulrik asked. "Besides, it would take hours to get rid of all the ice."

"Not if you're a volcano fairy." Carmen said, with a big grin on her face.

Ulrik sighed and opened up a gateway, pulling Draegan through it. "You're going to need more fire power than that."

"What the hell?" Draegan asked. "Why did you bring me here Ulrik?"

"In order to help thaw out Cloud Tower." Ulrik said.

Draegan sulked a little, keeping his eyes on Ulrik. "Just because your my friend Ulrik, doesn't mean that I'm going to help them."

"You'll help Draegan." Ulrik said. "It would really get on Neva's nerves if you melted her ice. Unless you'd rather spend your time in a dungeon cell."

Draegan glared a little and crossed his arms. "I'm still not going to help."

"If you help, you can avoid being locked away for a long time." Sky said.

Draegan sighed and uncrossed his arms. "Fine. I'll help out just this once."

"I'm going too." Rexx said. "Three fire users are better than two."

Catarina winced and closed her eyes. "We need to hurry."

"Just be careful you three." Gale said. "And try not to set anyone on fire."

Draegan sighed and opened up a gateway to Cloud Tower. "Let's just get this over with. I really don't want to be here." He then stepped through the gateway with Carmen and Rexx.

"Let's go." Catarina said. "That thing isn't going to wait on us forever."

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Gale asked.

"I'll be fine." Catarina said.

Ulrik opened up a gateway to the city and looked to everyone. "Don't let your guard down even for a second. We don't know what this thing can do." With that, everyone else stepped through the gateway.

 **Cloud Tower**

"Neva really did a number on this place." Draegan said, stepping through the gateway with Rexx and Carmen.

Rexx looked around at the ice and sulked a little. "We had better hurry. It's not going to melt itself."

"Charmix!" Carmen transformed and hovered in the air. "I'll take care of things from up here. Lava Beam!"

"Phoenix Fire!"

"Inferno Chakram! Blazing Heat!"

The ice slowly began to melt, revealing the entrance into the school. They continued to melt the ice, until it was completely. Once it was gone, they headed inside to Griffin's office.

"She even froze miss Griffin." Carmen said.

Rexx nodded and stared out the window. "It's time to give this place back to the witches."

"Allow me." Draegan said. "Phoenix Fire!"

The ice around miss Griffin completely melted and set her free. "It's about time."

Carmen smiled and hugged Rexx. "We did it."

"You're still here." Griffin said. "What do you want?"

Carmen pulled away from Rexx and looked to Griffin. "We need information about demonic beasts. There's one attacking the city."

"A demonic beast is loose in Magix." Griffin said. "I know of only one witch that would summon such a creature. It can only be Rangda's work. Every demonic beast has a special weakness. There is not a single way to defeat them all. Rangda's are not your normal beasts. Finding their weakness would be nearly impossible."

Carmen looked down a little and held Rexx's hand. "There has to be some way to stop it."

Griffin nodded and pulled out an amulet. "This will help slow the beast down. You'll have to find its weakness yourself." She then handed the amulet to Carmen. "The effects won't last long, so I suggest you don't waste time."

Draegan opened up another gateway to the city. "Let's go take this thing out." He smirked a little as they headed through the gateway.

 **Magix**

"How do we find this thing?" Felicity asked.

"By following the path of destruction." Gale said.

Zane roared, destroying a building with his tail. He then took notice to the Scoutix and towards them.

"Charmix!" The Scoutix transformed and hovered in the air.

"We have to hit this thing with everything we got." Catarina said. "Aura Blast!"

"Unicorn Rush!"

"Floral Cage!"

"Orb of Light!"

Zane growled, creating a flame shield around himself. He then whipped his tail around and knocked the fairies into buildings.

"That hurt." Felicity said.

"Neptune Vortex!"

"Aero Wheel!"

Zane slowed down and prepared to pounce. His tail whipped around in the air and struck the ground, knocking the guys off their feet.

"We can't even get close to this thing." Brandon said.

"Phoenix Fire Cage!"

"Lava Beam!"

Zane growled and started ramming the cage.

"You all don't look like you're doing too good." Rexx said.

The girls regained their strength and regrouped with the others, keeping their focus on the beast before them.

"We could really use Rachel right about now." Rosella said.

Draegan winced and dropped to the ground. "This thing shouldn't be able to move right now. The cage won't hold for much longer."

"We've never fought anything like this before." Gale said.

"Did you find anything out at Cloud Tower Carmen?" Catarina asked.

"Not really." Carmen said. "Griffin did give us this amulet. It's supposed to slow down the creature."

Zane roared and broke free from the cage, charging at the group. His tail then stabbed the ground in an attempt to impale them. Carmen held out the amulet, which seemed to hold him at a standstill. He growled and showed off his fangs.

"It's working." Rosella said.

Carmen winced and fell to her knees. "This is getting hard to control."

"Let's hit this thing with a convergence." Catarina said.

"Do you really think that it will work this time?" Felicity asked.

"We can do this." Abigail said. "We just have to work together."

Felicity smiled and nodded. "Let's show thing who it's messing with."

"Don't forget about me." Daniel said. "We're all friends."

"Magic Scoutix! Convergence!"

Zane roared and fell to ground, barely able to move. He breathed heavily, wrapping his tail around himself.

"We did it." Carmen said. "Too bad Rachel wasn't here for it."

"Paralysis." Ulrik sighed and looked around. "That should hold it for a bit."

"What do we do now?" Colton asked.

"Get this thing out of the city." Gale said.

Laughter began to ring throughout the city as a cloud of red smoke appeared in front of Zane. "You won't be taking my pet anywhere." The smoke started to clear, revealing the figure of woman. She had bright red hair reaching just below her shoulder and yellow eyes. Her outfit consisted of a red single sleeve crop top, a red skirt reaching just below her knees, dark red ankle boots, and a black arm band.

"Who are you?" Rosella asked.

"You must be Rangda." Carmen said.

Rangda laughed, releasing the paralysis spell upon Zane. "You know who I am. It's not a good idea to mess with my pets."

Zane stood up, staying behind his mistress. He growled a little, ready to strike at command.

"You and that beast are going down." Felicity said.

Rangda turned to Felicity and smirked. "You won't do that. Not if you want to see that pathetic gem fairy again."

"What did you do to Rachel?" Carmen asked, glaring at the witch.

"I'm sure you'd love to know that." Rangda said. "Why not ask your aura friend? I know you can sense it fairy."

Catarina winced and fell to her knees. "I'm not sure how, but Rachel is near. Her aura is very faint though."

"You've spent all this time trying to fight my pet, that you haven't realized what you've really been doing." Rangda said.

"What are you talking about?" Carmen asked.

Rangda smirked and scratched Zane's head. "Don't you recognize him? His appearance may have changed, but his aura is still the same."

"It can't be." Catarina said. "That's not possible."

"What's wrong Catarina?" Gale asked.

"That creature is Zane." Catarina said.

"Are you sure?" Carmen asked.

Catarina nodded and slowly stood up, curling into Gale. "I'm sure of it. His aura is all around that thing. She must have cursed him."

"You just don't get it." Rangda said. "This is the real Zane. Or rather, a copy of him."

"What do you mean?" Abigail asked.

"It's quite simple actually." Rangda said. "The true Zane has been dead for a while now. All I did was create my pet to take on his likeness."

"Where's Rachel?" Felicity asked, glaring a little.

"Sealed away." Rangda said. "You've been fighting your own friends. And don't even think about trying to save them. Zane is under my complete control. As for your friend, she's sealed within her own special gem. You won't be getting to it either. It's sealed away within Zane's eye. You can't save Rachel without hurting him."

"What should we do?" Rosella asked.

"Maybe we can get through to Zane." Daniel said. "If we can manage to do that, we can figure out a way to save Rachel."

Rangda laughed, turning her attention back to the group. "He doesn't even know who you are. Zane is nothing more than a mindless beast, loyal to his mistress."

"Zane." Daniel said.

Zane growled, focusing his attention on Daniel.

"Keep that witch busy." Daniel said. "Let me deal with Zane."

"Are you sure you want to do this Daniel?" Gale asked.

Daniel glanced at Gale and nodded. "I have to try. Just keep her occupied."

"Be careful." Gale said.

Rangda smirked as she started to glow bright red. "You have no idea who you are messing with. Leaving things up to some fairy boy. How pathetic. Do you want to know why there are so few male fairies?" She laughed and flew up into the air. "My pets wiped most of them out. You're the special one Danny boy. I have my doubts, but Asher seems to think otherwise. He actually believes that you're part of prophecy or something. I must say that I am quite jealous that he's keeping all that essence to himself."

"What are you saying witch?" Daniel asked.

"You haven't figured it out." Rangda said. "He's the one behind the attacks. I guess you don't know him at all."

Daniel stood in shock before falling to his knees. "No. It can't be. He wouldn't do that."

"Daniel." Catarina said. "You have to focus. She's just trying to get in your head."

 _'Focus. Your friends need you.'_ Daniel thought. _'I have to try and reach Zane.'_ He turned his focus to the creature and walked closer. "Zane."

"Rip him to shreds my pet." Rangda said.

"Light Arrow!"

Rangda glared and winced in a little. "Not bad fairy, but that will be the only hit you'll get."

"Aura Blast!"

"Magma Vortex!"

"Rose Pheromone!"

Zane growled and swiped at Daniel, missing him by only a few inches.

"I know you're in there Zane." Daniel said. "We're friends. You have to remember."

Rangda laughed and blocked the attacks. "You don't have what it takes to defeat me." She smirked and fire off multiple blasts of red energy.

Zane roared and knocked Daniel into a nearby building. He then pounced and pinned Daniel to the ground.

Daniel winced, keeping his focus on Zane. "This isn't you. Don't let this witch tell you who you are. You're not a monster. Think of your friends. Rachel needs you."

The girls fell to the ground, struggling to move.

"We have to do another convergence." Abigail said.

Felicity winced in pain and slowly got up on her knees. "We're all too tired. I can use my healing magic, but it won't be enough to fully heal everyone."

At that moment, a cloaked figure appeared in front of the girls. "I don't normally fight girls, but I'll make an exception for you witch."

Rangda glared at the newcomer and prepared another attack. "Back again. You've been a thorn in my side for too long." She smirked and fired off an orb of energy at the figure.

"You're here." Felicity said, smiling a little.

The newcomer smirked and blocked the attacked. "It's going to take more than. Star Shower!"

"Who is that?" Catarina asked.

"A friend." Felicity said.

Rangda growled a little and fired multiple orbs of energy. "I won't allow you to interfere any longer."

"Star Blade!" He quickly destroyed the orbs and stood ready for the next attack. "I can keep this up all day Rangda. I suggest you leave."

Zane growled as his breath blew Daniel's hair. He started to calm down a little before stepping over beside him.

"That's it Zane." Daniel said. "You can fight this. We're all here for you."

Rangda continued to glare before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. _'One of these days I will get rid of him.'_

The newcomer pulled off cloak and smiled at Felicity. "It's been a long time Filly."

"Rafe." Felicity said, standing up and hugging him. "I thought you were dead."

All of sudden, a blinding light engulfed Zane. When the light faded, the creature was gone. "Daniel."

"Welcome back Zane." Daniel said, smiling a little.

Zane stood up and turned away from Daniel. "Yeah. I should go."

"Maybe now everyone can actually relax." Brandon said.

Daniel stood up, keeping his gaze on Zane. "You don't have to leave."

"Things are just getting worse." Sky said. "And this time, the Winx aren't here to help."

The girls reverted back to their casual forms and slowly stood up.

"That didn't work out very well." Rosella said.

"Who is this Felicity?" Abigail asked, walking up beside her.

"My name is Rafe." Rafe said. "I'm Filly's older brother."

Draegan sighed and opened up a gateway. "My work is done here. I should get back before someone notices I'm missing."

"Be careful Draegan." Ulrik said.

Draegan nodded and stepped through the gateway. _'I have to figure out where Ulrik's little friend is. And not get caught by Shadow.'_

Gale helped Catarina to her feet and hugged her. "I'm glad that you're alright."

Catarina smiled and closed her eyes. "Poor Zane. We have to figure out how to help him."

"You have a brother." Carmen said, running up to Felicity. "That is so awesome."

"Are you alright Zane?" Helia asked.

"I can't be around anyone." Zane said. "Rachel is trapped because of me. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

Daniel looked down a little and placed a hand on Zane's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. We'll find a way to help Rachel. It would be better if you stayed with a group of people."

"I know that Daniel." Zane said. "Everything I know isn't even real. The memories I have before meeting all of you, are not even my own. I never even had a real childhood. I'm a monster."

Rosella walked up to Zane and smiled. "You're not a monster. Rachel wouldn't see things that way. And if she were here, she'd smack you upset the head for even thinking like that."

"Yeah." Zane said. "She's not here though and I'm a danger to everyone."

Catarina walked up to Zane, trying to figure out some way to help him. "Zane. Rachel isn't gone. She's still alive. Do you really think that she would want you to runaway? The only way to help her is by working together."

Rafe smiled and held Felicity close. "It's good to see you too Filly. I'm sorry for making you think I was dead."

"You don't have to be the monster that witch made you into." Helia said.

Zane looked down and gripped his arm. "You all would still trust me after what I've done here."

"Well duh." Carmen said. "We're all friends here. Rachel is counting on all of us."

Zane smiled a little and nodded."Yeah. I want to do everything I can to save her."

"It's not just the Collectors we need to worry about now." Ulrik said. "Rangda is a real threat and we don't have the power to defeat either of them."

Rafe walked up to the others with Felicity by his side. "You'll just have to get stronger."

"We should try to relax for a bit." Gale said. "It's been a long day and we won't be able to do much of anything in our weakened state."

With that, they all headed back to Alfea.

 **Alfea**

Rosella and Felicity made their way to the infirmary, wanting to check in on Alex and Lyon.

"They're still out of it." Rosella said.

Felicity sighed and sat down in a nearby chair. "Yeah. I never expected Lyon to protect me."

"There's a lot more to him than we realize." Rosella said. "Perhaps you have started to get through to him. It doesn't mean that he's going to start being nice."

Felicity smiled and nodded. "There is good within him. I want to believe that he can be nice."

 **Shadow Lair**

Shadow sat upon his throne, having just watched the events in the city. _'Ulrik is now a traitor. And here I thought he could be trusted. No matter. I will deal with him in time.'_ "Draegan."

Draegan appeared in front of Shadow and bowed. "Yes master."

"How does it feel to be a traitor?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know what you mean master." Draegan said. _'Damn. He's figured me out. And if he's figured me out, then he also knows about Ulrik.'_

Shadow glared a little and shadows wrapped around Draegan. "Don't play games with me. I've been watching. Did you forget about that? You've been helping him. Did you really think that I wouldn't notice?"

Krista watched from the shadows and smiled. _'This is what every traitor deserves.'_

Draegan winced, keeping his gaze on the floor. "Forgive me."

"I don't take well to traitors Draegan." Shadow said. "Luckily for you, you're still useful to me. Krista."

Krista stepped out of the shadows and bowed. "What do you wish of me?"

"You two are coming with me." Shadow said, surrounding them all in shadows and disappearing.

 **Cave**

Shadow, Draegan and Krista appeared in a cave right outside the castle. They came to a lone cage hanging down from the ceiling. Inside the cage was a young girl with light blonde hair, reaching just below her shoulders with light green eyes. Her outfit consisted of a blue short sleeve shirt, light blue capris, and blue flats.

"Who is this?" Krista asked.

"The one that controls Ulrik." Shadow said. "This girl is quite precious to him. He'll do anything to keep her safe."

 _'She must be the friend he was talking about.'_ Draegan thought. _'She's just a child.'_

Shadow turned to Draegan and smirked. "I did say that you were still useful to me. You're going to lure in Ulrik. Krista. He's all yours. And try not to kill him." He then walked over and leaned up against the cave wall.

"With pleasure." Krista said, focusing her attention on Draegan. "Shadow Boomerangs!"

Draegan cried out in pain and dropped to his knees. _'I have to do something fast.'_

"I'm just getting started Draegan." Krista said. "Shadow Boomerang Spear!"

Draegan winced and fell to the ground. _'I have to get out of here. I could use my flames as a distraction.'_ "Phoenix Fire!"

"Ice Bullets!"

Draegan cried out in pain as he was knocked into the cave wall. _'Neva.'_

"It's about time Neva." Shadow said.

Neva walked into the light, keeping her gaze on Draegan. "As if I would miss out on this. Let's see just how much you can handle fire breath. Frost Arrow!"

"Shadow Boomerang Blast!"

Draegan struggled to move as his vision began to fade. ' _I can't let it end like this.'_ Using the last of his strength, he ran over and grabbed on to the cage. "You'll just have to find out some other time frosty." He then disappeared with the cage in a burst of flames.

"You won't get away Draegan." Neva said.

Shadow smirked and stopped Neva from leaving. "Let him go. Ulrik will get the point."

"Draegan also took off with the girl." Krista said.

Shadow laughed a little and closed his eyes. "Exactly. That girl is quite ill. And I have the only cure. Ulrik will have no choice but to come back."

 _'I just need to wait until Shadow has no power left.'_ Neva thought. _'And then I will be the one in charge. I'll show him what true power is.'_

 **Alfea**

Daniel sat on a bench and stared up at the sky. _'Asher can't be behind the attacks. He wouldn't do something like this. That witch had to be lying. And what if she's right? What if is he is behind everything? No. I can't accept that. He's my brother.'_

"You sure like to spend time thinking." Helia said, sitting down beside him.

Daniel glanced over and sighed a little. "Thinking makes things a lot easier. It's almost like I don't know anything right now." He laughed a little and turned his attention back to the sky. "Our last conversation didn't go very well."

"You can't always predict what's going to happen." Helia said. "You can't be blamed for what happened Daniel. None of this was your fault."

Daniel looked up a little and nodded. "I've gotten over blaming myself. There is a lot more at stake now."

"Things are more difficult now, but that doesn't mean that all hope is lost." Helia said.

Daniel leaned back and stared at the sky once more. "Is there really a way to win this?"

"There is." Ulrik said while reading a book. "Just not the way you are now."

"How long have you been there Ulrik?" Daniel asked.

"The entire time." Ulrik said, looking up from his book. "I'm a very quiet person. You do have to get more power. The battle with Rangda proved that."

"How are we supposed to get more power?" Carmen asked, popping up out of nowhere behind Daniel.

Daniel jumped a little and sighed. "Have you been there this entire time?"

Carmen smiled and did a back flip. "Not the entire time. I just got here. I've never seen anyone jump like you just did."

"Someone sure is full of energy." Ulrik said.

Carmen laughed and laid back on the grass. "I'm just a really active person."

Before anyone could say another word, a pillar of flames appeared. The flames faded to reveal Draegan and the girl. "We made it." He winced in pain and fell unconscious.

"Draegan?!" Ulrik called out, running over to him. "He's hurt pretty bad." _'You did it my friend. You managed to save her. I never should have dragged him into this.'_

"What could have happened to him?" Catarina asked.

"Shadow knows we betrayed him." Ulrik said.

"What about the girl?" Catarina asked. "Who is she?"

Ulrik sighed and looked over at the girl. "She's a friend of mine. Well, I've been taking care of her. She doesn't have a family."

"She was used against you." Catarina said.

Ulrik nodded and gently picked her up. "We should get them to the infirmary."

Gale and Colton helped get Draegan to a bed and carefully laid him down.

Ulrik laid the little girl on a bed and covered her up. "Something's wrong with her."

Felicity looked to the girl and walked over to her. "She seems to be suffering from some sort of illness."

"They both got hurt because of me." Ulrik said.

Felicity looked down a little and placed a hand on Ulrik's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Draegan chose to help you. You had no idea that this little girl would be used against you like this."

"Cassie." Ulrik said. "Her name is Cassie. Shadow would have the cure for this. I have to go back."

Felicity pulled her hand away and took a step back. "If you go back, they will kill you."

"I don't have a choice." Ulrik said. "It's the only way to help Cassie." Without waiting for a response, he walked back outside.

Daniel took notice to Ulrik and walked over to him. "Are you alright?"

Ulrik looked down and shook his head. "I'm going back Daniel. Don't try to stop me. I have to save Cassie."

"I'm not going to stop you." Daniel said. "Tell me one thing before you go."

"What is it?" Ulrik asked.

Daniel gripped his arm, looking down a little. "Is it true? Is what that witch said true?"

"Yes." Ulrik said, sighing a little. "Your brother is the one behind the attacks. I'm sorry."

Daniel turned away and gripped his arm even more. "I understand. Be careful. You have to come back."

Ulrik nodded and opened up a gateway. "I'll be back in no time." With that, he walked through the gateway. _'This isn't going to end well.'_

Daniel sighed and walked over to a nearby tree, sitting up against it. "I wish I knew why he was doing all of this."

"You don't look too good." Zane said, sitting down across from Daniel.

Daniel glanced up at Zane before returning his gaze to the ground. "Yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Zane asked.

"My brother is the one hurting people." Daniel said. "I just...don't understand why. What would drive him to do these horrible things?"

Zane leaned back against the tree and released a small sigh. "At least you're not a demon. There's still a chance that there's still good in him."

"You're not a monster." Daniel said. "You can choose to be something else."

Zane looked down and held his arm. "Not while Rangda is around. What if the next time I turn into a raging, I end up hurting someone? I could have killed you Daniel."

"Think about Rachel." Daniel said. "I'm sure that she doesn't see you as some sort of monster. You mean so much to her and nothing will change that. We'll defeat that witch and free you both."

Zane sighed and nodded. "I hope you're right."

 **Shadow Lair**

Ulrik appeared in the throne and walked up to Shadow. "Where is it Shadow?"

Shadow smirked, keeping his gaze on Ulrik. "If it isn't the traitor himself. What is it that you are looking for?"

"You know exactly what I'm after." Ulrik said, glaring a little.

Shadow laughed and held up a small vial. "You've got quite the backbone Ulrik. You want the cure for that girl. Just come and take it." He then set it down on a small pillar.

"Do you really think I'm going to fall for that?" Ulrik asked. "I won't back down from you ever again."

Shadow stood up and smirked a little. "I expect nothing less from you. Anyone would be lucky to have you on their side. Although, I did expect more loyalty from you. It's a shame that your new friends won't get to see you again. "

"Frost Arrow!"

"Earth Barrier!" Ulrik blocked the attack and awaited for the next one. "You're not going to get me that easily."

"Shadow Bind!"

Ulrik winced a little and struggled to get free. "Cheap trick Krista."

"I thought that you would put up more of a fight than this." Shadow said. "Dark Fire Whip!"

Ulrik cried out in pain, keeping his gaze on the floor. _'I won't be making it back at this rate. No. I have to break free. Cassie is counting on me. I made a promise to return.'_

"Are you ready to die?" Shadow asked.

Ulrik smirked and looked up at Shadow. "I'm not going to die here. Terra Dust!" He then quickly broke free and grabbed the vial. "You shouldn't underestimate me."

"Dark Fire Spiral!"

Ulrik cried out in pain and fell to his knees. _'I need to open up a gateway.'_

"Ice Bullets!" Neva laughed as Ulrik fell to the floor. "Don't even think about opening a gateway."

 _'I feel so weak.'_ Ulrik thought. _'I'm sorry my friends.'_

"This is the end for you." Shadow said. "Dark Fire!"

As the flames were about to hit Ulrik, a bright light appeared and protected him. _'Now's your chance. Get out of here Ulrik.'_

Ulrik heard the female voice and winced. _'Who are you?'_

 _'It doesn't matter who I am. You have the cure for Cassie. He didn't lie about that. My light will protect you long enough to escape. It has also given you enough strength to create a gateway.'_

 _'How can I trust you?'_ Ulrik thought. _'Please. Tell me who you are.'_

 _'There isn't time. I will explain everything to you later on.'_

Ulrik sighed and opened up a gateway, quickly escaping through it. _'I wonder who that was. Why did she save me?'_

"What happened?" Neva asked, a little annoyed.

"She's still hanging around." Shadow said. "The light saved him. I wonder why."

Rave smirked, leaning up against a wall. "He won't be fighting again anytime soon."

"You didn't even do anything." Krista said, glaring at Rave.

Rave chuckled and stepped away from the wall. "You all had things handled. If it wasn't for that light, Ulrik would be dead."

 **Alfea**

Ulrik stepped through the gateway and made his way back to Cassie. "I've got you Cassie." He smiled and gently poured the liquid down her throat. "I'll see you in a bit." With that, he fell unconscious.

"He's really weak." Rosella said. "They must have attacked him."

Alex winced a little and opened his eyes. "Rosella."

Rosella smiled, turning her attention to Alex. "It's great to see that you're awake. How are you feeling Alex?"

"A lot better." Alex said. "What did I miss?"

Rosella chuckled a little and held his hand. "It's a long story. We've been through a few battles. And we have a new enemy to worry about. This witch, Rangda, turned Zane into a demon. Apparently, he was never human to begin with. Not to mention that Rachel is sealed within a gem in his eye."

"That is a lot." Alex said. "I'm sorry that I wasn't around."

Rosella gently kissed his forehead and gripped his hand a little tighter. "It's alright. There's nothing that you could have done."

Felicity glanced over at Rosella and Alex, smiling a little. _'Please wake up soon Lyon.'_ It wasn't long after that she found herself drifting off to sleep.

"You should get some rest Daniel." Zane said.

Daniel nodded and drifted off to sleep. _'I hope that Zane will be alright. He's been through so much lately.'_

Zane sighed a little and looked up at the sky. _'Rachel. Please be alright. I need you.'_

 _~~~~Rachel's Memory: Age 16~~~~_

" _It's finished." Rachel said, holding up a necklace made of jewels. She then took off running over to her mother._

" _It's beautiful sweetheart."_

 _Rachel smiled and made some gems swirl around in her hand. "I've been practicing."_

" _You'll have it down in no time."_

 _At that moment, one of the gems flew off and struck her mother in the chest. "Mother?!"_

 _~~~~End of Memory~~~~_

 _'You can't escape from me my pet.'_ Rangda thought. _'I will come for you.'_

Zane quickly looked around in fear. "I'm only hearing things."

Moira held Zaven close and sighed a little. _'I wish I could been there to help you Zaven. Perhaps one day your family will be whole again.'_

Zaven opened his eyes and looked around. "Moira. What happened? Where's Rave?"

"I'm not sure." Moira said. "Rave is gone."

Zaven sat up and looked down a little. "I was afraid of that. He's completely taken over by shadows."

"Is there a way to save him?" Moira asked.

"I'm not sure." Zaven said. "I doubt anyone can get through to him. Unless you know how to break the curse."

Lyon slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Felicity. _'Why is she here? And why did I save her? Do I really have feelings for her? No. That can't be it. Or is it? I don't know anymore.'_

"She's been by your side this entire time." Abigail said.

"Am I supposed to care?" Lyon asked.

"Felicity likes you." Abigail said. "You care for her. That's why you protected her. You wouldn't have done that if you didn't care."

Lyon focused his attention on Felicity, trying to ignore Abigail. "You don't know anything about me."

"I don't think you're as bad as you want people to think." Abigail said. "You may not want to admit it, but you do care about people."

Felicity opened her eyes and smiled at Lyon. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Whatever." Lyon said. "I don't need you to care about me."

"What happened to Rave?" Alex asked.

"He's already long gone." Rosella said.

Alex looked down and gripped his arm. "I see. I just wish I knew how to save him."

"You'll figure it out Alex." Rosella said, smiling a little.

Catarina sat out in the quad and stared up at the sky. _'How are we supposed to get stronger?'_

"What are you thinking about Catarina?" Gale asked, sitting down beside her.

"I'm trying to figure out a way to get stronger." Catarina said. "There has to be a way that we get more power quickly."

Gale nodded and pulled her close. "We'll figure this all out."

"We can't even rest." Catarina said. "We have no idea of knowing when the next attack will happen. New enemies keep popping up."

Gale sighed and gently kissed her cheek. "We've also managed to gain more friends."

"They have both come close to death." Catarina said. "I'm surprised that they are still alive. I mean, it's a miracle that they are still here."

Gale nodded and looked up at the sky. "Yeah. They can handle themselves."

Cassie opened her eyes and looked around. "Where am I?"

"You're at Alfea sweetie." Abigail said smiling.

"Where's Ulrik?" Cassie asked. "He promised to be here."

"He's resting over there." Abigail said, looking over at Ulrik.

Cassie smiled, getting up and walking over to Ulrik. "He's hurt."

"Don't worry Cassie." Abigail said. "He will be just fine. Ulrik risked a lot to save you."

Ulrik opened his eyes and smiled upon seeing Cassie. "Cassie. It's good to see you. I see that you've already met Abigail."

Cassie smiled and hugged Ulrik. "I missed you Ulrik."

"I said that I would always come back." Ulrik said.

Zane winced in pain and held his head. _'Don't do this to me now.'_ He slowly started to turn, using all of his strength to resist.

Daniel awoke and quickly moved over beside Zane. "Zane. What's wrong?"

"Get back!" Zane called out, pushing Daniel back. "I don't know how long I can fight it. Get out of here."

Daniel shook his head and moved back over beside him. "I'm not going to leave you Zane. Think of Rachel and who you really are. Don't let that witch tell you who you are. You can do this."

Zane nodded and returned to normal. "Thank you Daniel. What would I ever do without you? You're a great friend."

"So are you." Daniel said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 **Shadow Lair**

 _'I'm getting tired of waiting around for Shadow's orders.'_ Neva thought. _'Time to take matters into my own hands. He doesn't deserve to call himself the leader.'_ She then disappeared within a block of ice.

 _'What could Neva be up to?'_ Krista thought.

Shadow stared out his bedroom window, leaning up against the wall. _'Why did she have to interfere? What makes Ulrik so special that she would protect him?'_

"What could you possibly be thinking about?" Rangda asked.

"That's none of your concern." Shadow said. "Your pet is fighting your control."

Rangda chuckled and rubbed his face. "He can't resist me forever. Don't you worry about him."

"He will be a problem if keeps this up." Shadow said.

Rangda smirked and pulled him close to her. "You worry too much. Why don't you just relax for a while? Worried is not a good look for you. Let me deal with Zane."

 **Alfea**

Neva appeared behind Daniel and smirked. _'You're mine.'_ "Snow Prison!"

Daniel winced and looked back at Neva as he started to freeze. "What's happening to me?"

"My snow prison freezes anyone unlucky enough to be caught inside." Neva said.

"Lightning Strike!" Zane struck the cage in an attempt to release Daniel, only to fail.

Neva laughed and turned to Zane. "It's going to take more than that sweetheart."

"Get out of here Zane." Daniel said as his chest started to freeze.

Zane glared at Neva and growled a little. "Let him go. Daniel. I'm not leaving you."

"That's not going to happen." Neva said, moving closer to Zane. "You don't have the power to stop me."

"Thunder Whip!"

"Just go Zane." Daniel said, wincing a little. "I'll be fine."

Zane shook his head and awaited for Neva's next attack. "I can't just stand by and do nothing."

Neva laughed and rubbed Zane's face. "You're kind of cute. It's a shame that you fell for a fairy." She then smirked and kissed him. "Icy Touch!"

Zane stood in shock and winced a little. "What did you do to me?"

"Can you feel the cold?" Neva asked. "My icy touch can freeze anyone and anything I choose. I did enjoy the kiss. Now freeze."

Zane winced once more as he started to freeze. "Damn you."

"Zane?!" Daniel cried out as his neck froze over.

Neva grinned and turned her attention to Daniel. "A weakling like you can't save anyone."

"Fire Stars!"

Neva glared as Daniel and Zane were freed from the ice. "You'll pay for that. Ice Bullets."

Rafe cried out in pain and fell to his knees. "You won't get away with that witch."

"Daniel." Zane said, helping him up. "Are you alright?"

Daniel nodded and shivered a little. "I'm fine. Just a little cold."

"Explosion!"

Rafe cried out in pain and fell to the ground. _'I can't move. Am I still weak from fighting Rangda?'_

"Charmix! Daniel. Fairy of the Deep Oceans."

"Transform all you want fairy boy." Neva said. "It won't be enough to stop me. Ice Bullets!"

"Aqua Shield!"

"Frost Arrow!"

"Thunder Strike!"

Neva cried out in pain and growled a little. "I'm not finished yet. Explosion!"

Zane winced as he knocked back into a tree. _'What should I do?'_

Daniel winced, keeping his gaze on Neva. "Neptune Vortex!"

Neva smirked and dodged the attack. "I can see the fear in your eyes fairy boy. You doubt your abilities. I just don't see what's so special about you."

"You're wrong." Daniel said. "I'm not afraid of you. My friends make me stronger. I won't hide anymore." At that moment a fish shaped brooch with a turquoise pearl appeared on in the center of his chest along with a blue and turquoise wallet appeared on his belt. "What is this?"

Neva glared and prepared another attack. "Ice Bullets!"

"I'm not sure what that is, but you can't just stand there." Zane said.

"Neptune Whirlpool!"

Neva cried out in pain and dropped to her knees. "I'll get you for this." She then disappeared within a block of ice.

"You got your Charmix." Rafe said. "They are magic items that give you a little power boost. It's only temporary though."

"Why did they appear now?" Daniel asked.

"Perhaps it was because you decided that you didn't want to hide." Zane said. "You're a lot different now."

Daniel smiled and helped Zane off the ground. "I meant it. I'm tired of hiding."

Rafe sat up and leaned back against a tree. "You're stronger now. Use that power wisely. You're going to need it."

"He's grown a lot lately." Moira said, walking into Faragonda's office.

Faragonda nodded, watching Daniel from the window. "Yes. Let's just hope that he can fight when he's truly needed."

"The ones behind the attacks have already gathered a lot of essence." Moira said. "Not to mention that they have already taken down the Winx. What happens when they get Daniel as well?"

Faragonda turned to Moira and sighed a little. "Let's hope that it doesn't come to that. He's the last piece of the puzzle. All they need now is his blood. The power of the essences merged into one can be destructive."

"Their numbers have been brought down." Moira said. "And it's not just the Scoutix either. Two of the collectors have already joined our side."

Faragonda sat down and nodded. "Hopefully it will be enough."

 **Magix City**

Ulrik stepped off the bus with Cassie and Gale, smiling a little. "I have a friend here in the city that you can stay with."

"Just promise to come back for me." Cassie said. "You still have to help me find a family."

Ulrik nodded and watched Cassie walk off with his friend. _'Let's just hope that I'm actually able to return from all of this.'_

"She'll be just fine Ulrik." Gale said.

Ulrik sighed and looked to Gale. "I know. She doesn't need to be part of this battle. Catarina wasn't upset that you came with me. Or was she?"

"Not at all." Gale said. "Catarina isn't like that at all. She was practically pushing me out the gate."

 _~~~Flashback~~~_

" _Ulrik can't take Cassie to the city alone." Catarina said. "He's a target now. It wouldn't be good for him if he was alone. Just hurry up and get going already. I need time to do some research."_

 _~~~End~~~_

Ulrik laughed a little and looked around at the city. Luckily, they had managed to keep everything from getting completely destroyed. The damage was only on one side of the city. "You're lucky to have a girl like her."

"Yeah." Gale said. "I'm sure that you can find someone just as special."

Ulrik looked down and gripped his arm. "Maybe. I've never really thought about that kind of thing. Cassie has been my main focus lately."

 **Shadow Lair**

Neva appeared in her room, a little annoyed. _'How could I allow them to defeat me? I will have my revenge on the pesky fairy. Who cares what Shadow says? Fairy boy must be dealt with.'_

"You've been up to no good Neva." Krista said, standing in the doorway. "Attacking fairy boy will make Shadow very angry."

Neva turned and glared at Krista. "I'm not the only one Krista. How long did you hide Ulrik's secret? Although, forcing him to do what you wanted was magnificent. We're supposed to collect the essence. Fairy boy is no exception. And I intend to make him pay."

"I like how you think Neva." Krista said. "You want to take over this place. In order to do that, you would have to take out Shadow."

Neva laughed and smirked. "Exactly. When the time comes, I will deal with him."

"Send out another of your beasts Rangda." Shadow said.

Rangda smirked and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't take orders from you. Or have you forgotten that? You take orders from me. Isn't that right my pet?" Her amulet formed in her hand and started to glow bright red.

"Of course." Shadow said as his eyes flashed red.

Rangda laughed and rubbed his face. "That's a good boy. I gave you this power and I can easily take it away. Or cause you pain." She smiled a little and squeezed the amulet. "It's time for you to rest now."

Shadow winced and held his heart. "Yes mistress." Within seconds, he drifted off into a deep sleep.

'


	24. The Fire Stone

There will be a few demons featured in the upcoming chapters. The 1st is Shezac, the fire serpent. Heads up. There are spelling mistakes during Shezac's dialogue. This was done intentionally so that it seemed more snake like.

 _~~~~Previously~~~~_

 _Rachel was sealed within a gem inside Zane's eye by the witch Rangda. After revealing Zane's true form, Rangda sent him to Magix to cause destruction and chaos. During the battle, Rangda revealed Shadow's true identity. A newcomer appeared and revealed himself to be Rafe, Felicity's older brother. Thanks to Daniel, Zane's rampage was stopped and he was returned to normal. After returning to Alfea, Neva attacked Daniel and caused him to earn his Charmix. It was later revealed that Rangda was the true leader of the Collectors, having Asher as one of her pets. What could this witch possibly have in store for the Scoutix? Find out now. ~~~~_

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda sat upon the throne, petting Shadow's head. "It's almost time my pet. We'll break Zane's spirit into so many pieces. Once that's done, he will no longer disobey me again. He will have no choice but to follow my every order. Just to make sure, I will take away that little flicker of humanity."

Krista watched from the shadows, making sure to be seen or sensed. _'Who is that?'_

 **Alfea**

Daniel had finished unpacking, happy to be at Alfea. "It's a really nice day out." He looked down a little as he thought about his brother. _'I still can't believe that Asher is the one hurting people.'_ "Mother. I wish you were here. I could really use your advice."

"Are you alright Daniel?" Abigail asked, carrying Milo in her arms.

"Abigail." Daniel said. "What are you doing here?"

Abigail smiled and walked over to him. "I wanted to see how you were doing. And I thought that you might like to have Milo back."

Daniel sighed and gently grabbed the turtle. "Hey there buddy. Did you miss me? This is our new home now." Milo smiled and snuggled into his chest. "I was just thinking Abby."

"Is it about your brother?" Abigail asked.

Daniel looked down and sat Milo down in his tank. "I just don't understand why he would do all of this. It's not like him at all. At least, that's not how I remember him. Why didn't I see it before? Maybe I could have prevented all of this."

"You had no way of knowing that he would fall like this." Abigail said. "It must be hard for you. Do you really think that you can fight against him?"

Daniel sat down on his bed and stared out the window. "I'm not sure. I have to confront him and find out why he's attacking people."

"You'll figure out what to do." Abigail said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And now you have friends to help you out. We'll be there for you no matter what."

Daniel nodded and smiled a little. "Thank you."

"Let's put that aside for now." Abigail said. "What do you think about being here?"

Daniel looked over to her and smiled. "It's great to actually be here. I can't believe that I was afraid to come here before. This is where I belong."

"That's good to hear." Abigail said.

Felicity made her way to Daniel's room and stood in the doorway. "You seem to be settled in."

"Felicity." Daniel said. "It's good to see you."

"Is something wrong?" Abigail asked.

"Catarina and Rafe might have found a way to free Rachel." Felicity said. "Everyone is waiting in the library."

Abigail and Daniel nodded, following Felicity to the library. Upon walking in, they took notice to the other fairies and specialists. Even Ulrik and Draegan were there to lend a hand.

"Do you really think this will work?" Zane asked.

"We can't be for certain, but it will allow someone to talk to Rachel." Catarina said.

Zane gripped his arm and looked down. "So there's a chance that it won't break the seal."

"This spell is complicated." Rafe said. "The items needed are quite difficult to find. We have pinpointed what realms they are located in, but it could take a while to gather them."

"What do we need?" Daniel asked.

"There are eight items total." Rafe said. "They include a sugar lotus from Natora, basilisk spores from Tempesta, Revian rune stones, Aquatica's moon flower, ice crystals from Aurora, Mystean vruenara feather, Zevian fire stone, and ocean creep vines from Andros."

Catarina leaned up against a pillar and thought a little. "That is a lot to get. And most of these things are rare to come by. We should be able to find them without a problem. The rune stones worry me though. With Revia destroyed, we can't get them there. There has to be another place to get them. I just wish I knew where. Or perhaps we can find someone that can tell us."

"If we split up into teams of two, we can gather everything pretty quickly." Rosella said. "The rune stones are the only problem. It could take forever to track down what happened to them or anyone that has any for that matter."

Rafe nodded and leaned up against a shelf, closing his eyes a little. "Let's focus on finding everything else. We can save the runes for last."

"If we can get through to Rachel and wake her up, we might be able to guide her out." Catarina said. "One wrong move and we could destroy ourselves."

Zane nodded and stood up. "We have to try. Actually, we need to figure out the source of Rangda's magic. There's nothing stopping her from sealing away someone else."

"Let's move quickly and gather the supplies." Alex said. "You're right Zane. That witch could easily seal someone else away. We can't allow her to do that."

Gale nodded and crossed his arms. "We've seen how strong we are without Rachel and things didn't go too well. Losing someone else could really weaken us. And we will still have three other Collectors to worry about."

"Not to mention my brother." Alex said.

Ulrik nodded and moved closer to the group. "Asher is the biggest threat. I wouldn't suggest letting your guard down around him. Neva and Krista are no pushovers either. Out of those two, Neva is the most dangerous."

"I'm going after that fire stone." Draegan said. "Fire is my specialty."

Carmen jumped up and spun around a little. "And I know Zevia inside and out."

"You're not going without me." Rexx said, standing beside Carmen.

Zane gripped his arm and looked down a little. "I hope this works."

"Zane can come with me to Andros." Daniel said. "If that's alright with you buddy."

Zane looked to Daniel and nodded. "Yeah. Going there should do me some good."

"I'll go with Colton to Natora." Abigail said.

Colton nodded and joined Abigail. "Sounds like a plan."

"Catarina and I can take care of the feather." Gale said.

Catarina smiled and held on to Gale's arm. "I have no problem with that."

"You're with me Ulrik." Alex said. "We'll take care of the ice crystals."

Rafe stepped away from the shelf, standing next to Felicity. "We'll find the moon flower."

"Right." Felicity said, looking up at her brother. "That leaves the spores."

Lyon smirked and glanced at Rosella. "I guess that means it's you and me pony girl."

"Don't call me that." Rosella said.

"Are you sure you'll be alright with him?" Alex asked.

Rosella glanced at Lyon before turning her attention to Alex. "I'll be fine. He can't be any worse than Splendora."

"Let me know if he acts up." Felicity said. "I'll put him in his place."

Lyon scoffed a little and crossed his arms. "I'll take good care of her pretty boy."

Felicity rolled her eyes and stomped on Lyon's foot. "You had better behave."

"We have our teams." Rafe said. "Be careful everyone."

With that, they headed out towards their destinations.

 **Zevia**

"I never thought that I would be back here." Carmen said. "Let's just get this over with and get out of here. The sooner the better." She looked around at the area and tried to smile a little. It was full of bright colors and a large volcano could be seen in the distance.

Rexx pulled Carmen close and kissed her forehead. "It's alright Carmen. You're not alone here. Just stay close to me."

Carmen nodded and took off towards the volcano. "This volcano is so much smaller than I remember. Well, it would seem massive to a little kid."

"What's up with Carmen?" Draegan asked.

Rexx sighed and started making his way up the volcano. "A lot of bad memories. Let's just say that her love sports was looked down upon. If it wasn't for me, I'm not sure what she would have done."

"The fire stone would most likely be at the bottom." Carmen said, transforming and flying into it.

"Did she just fly straight into a volcano?" Draegan asked.

Rexx laughed and started heading down a path into it. "That's Carmen for you. Besides, she is a volcano fairy. It doesn't really affect her."

Carmen looked around and sighed. "I don't see anything that would indicate where this fire stone would be."

 **Shadow Lair**

"So they are trying to get through to their little friend." Rangda said, smirking a little.

"What will you do?" Asher asked.

Rangda smiled and kissed his cheek. "Simple. Let my pets deal with it. It's time to put the fire out. I happen to have a fire demon that will set fire to that volcano fairy."

 **Zevia**

"There's nothing on the walls either." Draegan said.

Rexx sighed and leaned up against the wall. "It has to be here somewhere."

"I've got an idea." Carmen said, staring down at the lava. "The best place for it to be is right below us. It's in the lava."

Draegan sulked a little and sat down. "We won't be getting it then. It was put there so no one could take it."

"You're right about that." Rexx said. "Without it, we can't do the spell."

Carmen smiled before diving straight into the lava. "Found it."

"Carmen?!" Rexx called out, looking at the lava. "Where is she?"

Draegan jumped up and smiled. "She's crazy. No one in their right mind would dive into lava."

Carmen burst out of the lava and shook herself off. "That was awesome. I haven't done that in forever."

"This isn't the first time you've dived into water." Rexx said, relieved that she was alright.

Carmen laughed and held up the fire stone. "I found it. I actually used to do this a lot. The lava doesn't bother me. As long as I'm transformed that is." She then smiled and landed in front of Rexx.

"Don't scare me like that." Rexx said hugging her.

Draegan smirked and looked up at the sky. "Our work here is done. Ready to go?"

Before Carmen could answer, a stream of lava wrapped around her neck and pulled her down. "Let...go...of...me..."

"Hold on Carmen." Rexx said as his chakram appeared. "Fire Chakram!" He then threw it and freed Carmen.

Carmen rubbed her neck and coughed a little. "Thanks."

"Come play little fairy." A voice said.

Carmen turned around took notice to a tentacle made of lava. "Not a chance pal."

"Be careful Carmen." Rexx said. "That thing is a demon."

Draegan chuckled as fire danced around his hand. "This should be fun. Rangda must have sent it."

"This is an offer you can't refussssse." The demon said. "I am Sssshezac, ssssserpent of the flame. Return what you have ssssstolen from me."

Carmen got some distance from the serpent and glared at it. "Not a chance. It doesn't belong to you."

"Have it your way." Shezac said, lunging at Carmen.

Carmen quickly moved back out of range. "Lava Shield! You shouldn't have messed with me."

"Phoenix Fire!" Draegan called it.

Shezac hissed and dodged the attack. "Mind your own busssinesss. You'll make a nice sssnack."

"You might want to pay attention." Carmen said as orbs of energy shot out at Shezac.

Shezac winced and turned her attention back to Carmen. "I will burn you to a crissssp." She then hissed and struck the shield, cracking it. "Your magic can not sssstand up to me. Prepare to die."

"Blazing Heat!" Rexx called out, throwing his chakram at Shezac. "You're outnumbered serpent."

Shezac laughed and bit the chakram, shattering it. "Fool. You're weaponsss will not work on me." She then rose up into the air and hissed at Rexx. "Feel my power." Within an instant, she fired off lava bullets at Rexx and Draegan.

Rexx cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "I have to get up."

Draegan winced and dropped to his knees. "This thing is powerful. Of course our magic wouldn't work against it."

"Leave them alone." Carmen said. "Magma Vortex!"

Shezac hissed and lunged at Carmen, knocking her down a little bit. "Pathetic fairy. No one likesss you. No one ever liked you. They only pretend to be your friendsss. Become one with me and we'll ssshow them all the true power of a volcano. Or you can die alone."

"I will never join you." Carmen said.

Shezac chuckled and curled around Carmen. "It'sss what you want. What you truly want."

"Don't listen to her Carmen." Rexx said, wincing a little.

Shezac hissed and shot Rexx in the face with lava. "Be quiet!"

Rexx cried out in pain and held his face. _'It can't end like this. We've come too far.'_

"Rexx?!" Carmen called out, flying over towards him. Before she could reach him, Shezac's tail wrapped around her and started to constrict.

"Look into my eyesss fairy." Shezac said, forcing Carmen to look at her. "You have no friendsss. They all want you dead. You act happy, but in all reality you are just a lonely little girl. You're nothing but weak and defenssslesss. Everyone knowsss that. Ssssink down into the black abyssss. Give in to my power."

Carmen winced as her eyes started to glaze over. "Into...the...abyss..."

"You have to fight it Carmen." Draegan said. "I don't know what you've been through, but I do know that you have friends that care about you. You're not weak."

Carmen quickly snapped out of it and broke free from Shezac's grip. "I will never give into you. You're right. I am a lonely girl. Even being around my friends and the person I love doesn't seem to help. The abyss continues to eat away at me. Either way, my friends are always by my side. We stand together and nothing will change that. And I hope that one day, I will be free from this loneliness." At that moment, a brooch and bag appeared.

"Insssolent girl." Shezac said, knocking Carmen into the wall. "If you will not join me, you will die."

Carmen winced and looked up at Shezac. "I will show you the power of a volcano. I am Carmen! Fairy of Volcanoes! And this is the end of you." She suddenly broke free and flew up a little higher. "Go back to hell demon! Magma Orb!"

Shezac cried out in pain and started to disappear. "Thissss can't be happening. I am the volcano. How can thisss be?!" Within a few seconds, she completely disappeared.

Carmen landed beside Rexx and dropped to her knees, returning to normal. "Rexx." She held him close and wiped the lava from his face. "Please be alright."

Rexx smiled, wincing from the burns. "I'm...glad...that...you're...alright..."

"You're hurt." Carmen said through tears. "And there's nothing I can do to help you."

Draegan winced and moved over beside them. "We need to get him back to Alfea. It's the only way to help him." He then opened up a portal and lifted Rexx up. "Hold on buddy."

Carmen nodded and walked through the portal with Draegan. _'We got the fire stone. And Rexx got hurt in the process. He even lost his weapon. Is all this really worth everyone getting hurt?'_

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda growled and fired a blast of energy at a pillar. "Damn that fairy! How could Shezac be defeated like that?"

"It's simple." Asher said. "You underestimated their abilities. And that was just one girl. What do you think will happen when they combine their powers?"

Krista stepped out of the shadows and smirked. "They're getting stronger. Now two of them have gained more power. It's only a matter of time before the others do as well."

"Which is why you're going to make sure they don't." Rangda said. "Kill them."

Rave chuckled and leaned up against a pillar. "You obviously have no idea who you're messing with. Krista would only screw everything up. They've already proven that they can beat her."

"As if you're any better Rave." Neva said.

Rangda smirked and sat back down on the throne. "Then all three of you go. Surely together you can do something." She then created an image of Rafe and crossed her legs. "Start with him."

Rave smirked, disappearing with Krista and Neva. _'This will be easy. I just have to separate them. Everything will be fine as long as these two idiots stay out of my way.'_


	25. Phynera

_~~~~Previously~~~~~_

 _The Scoutix break up into teams and go in search of eight special items in order to get through to Rachel. Carmen, Rexx, and Draegan head off to Zevia in order to obtain the fire stone from its volcano. After Carmen found the stone, they were attacked by the demon Shezac. Carmen was able to earn her Charmix and put an end the fire serpent. ~~~~_

 **Aquatica**

"So this is Aquatica." Felicity said.

Rafe nodded and looked around at the area. The town floated above the water with bridges connecting each building. "All the homes and businesses float on the water. The moon flower should be in a place where the moon shines brightest."

"That could be anywhere." Felicity said.

Rafe sighed and smiled a little. "We'll find it Filly. Let's first look for a lush area. Somewhere with a lot of plant life."

Felicity nodded and transformed, flying up into the air. "There's a small forest on the other side of the lake. Perhaps we can find it there."

Rafe and Felicity made their way across the lake, looking around the forest. "It's a lot bigger than we thought."

"It seemed smaller in town." Felicity said. "Do we even know what it looks like?"

Rafe shook his head and leaned up against a tree. "Not a clue, but something tells me that we will know it when we see it."

"You won't be seeing much of anything after this." Krista said, throwing her boomerangs at Rafe.

Rafe winced and looked at Krista. "Let me guess, Rangda sent you."

"You're a sharp one." Neva said. "How long did it take you to figure that one out?"

Felicity turned to Neva and glared. "You must be Neva."

Neva snickered, turning her attention to Felicity. "And you must be a blonde bimbo. I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart. Frost Arrow!"

Felicity dodged the attack and readied one of her own. "Orb of Light!"

"Twin Shadow Boomerangs!" Krista called out, throwing her weapons at Felicity.

Felicity cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "Cheap trick."

"Felicity?!" Rafe called out, running over to her. "Listen to me. You go on ahead and find that flower. I'll hold them off for as long as I can."

Felicity shook her head and sat up. "I can't let you face them on your own."

"I'll be fine." Rafe said. "If you don't get that flower, you won't be able to help your friend. Get out of here while you still can."

Felicity nodded and flew off through the forest. _'Don't let him die. Where could that flower be? And it's getting darker, which will make it more difficult to find.'_

"Do you really think that you can take us both on?" Krista asked.

"You have no idea who you're messing with." Rafe said.

Neva smiled and moved a little closer to him. "You're the one that doesn't know who he's messing with. We're not just pretty faces."

Rafe smirked and stood up. "You two are the ugliest girls I've ever seen."

Krista growled a little and readied another attack. "Shadow Bind!"

"Ice Bullets!"

Rafe dodged the attacks and fired off one of his own. "Star Shower!"

Felicity found herself crashing to the ground in front of small flower bed. "There's no sign of the flower anywhere. Maybe there aren't any left."

At that moment, a strange light shone down through the trees and landed on the flower bed. The entire area started to glow, making the flowers more vibrant than ever. Growing from the center was white and blue flower with a silver center.

"It's beautiful." Felicity said. "Your lucky little flower. You can grow and be beautiful without having to worry about what people think."

"It's going to take more than that pretty boy." Krista said.

Neva laughed and walked up to Rafe. "It's a shame that we have to fight you. I'd really hate to mess up that pretty face."

"I can handle you two no problem." Rafe said. "Starlight Ray!"

Neva winced and dropped to her knees. "He's got more power than we thought."

Krista glared and threw her weapons once more. "I'm not finished yet. Shadow Boomerang Blast!"

Rafe dodged the attack and smirked. "I expected more. Starlight Shower!"

Krista cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "This isn't over." With that, the girls disappeared without a trace.

"I only wanted to be like the other kids." Felicity said. "Rafe was the only one that cared about what I wanted. I know that everyone thinks I'm stuck up, but that's not who I want to be. The truth is that I'm afraid people won't like me if I'm not on top of all the latest fashion. Or if I don't look the way they want." At that moment, a brooch and bag appeared. "Charmix." She smiled and used her magic to gently pick up the flower. "It's easier to talk to a flower. And thanks to you, I earned my Charmix. Now to get back to Rafe."

Rafe fell to his knees and breathed heavily. _'I'm more tired than I thought. Those two were strong, but I couldn't let them know just how weak I was.'_

Rave smirked and walked out of the shadows. "Shadow Chains!"

Rafe struggled to break free, keeping his gaze on Rave. "Release me."

"Stop trying to fight." Rave said. "We both know that you're far too weak to do anything."

"How long have been standing in the shadows?" Rafe asked.

"Throughout the entire battle." Rave said. "All I had to do was let those two wear you down. They aren't exactly that smart. Otherwise they would've known how weak you truly are. It's just you and me."

Rafe winced and fell to the ground. "Felicity will stop you."

"I don't think so." Rave said. "She won't make it back here in time. I didn't come alone. My friend will make sure of that."

Felicity winced and leaned up against a tree. "I'm still tired from those attacks."

"Are you lost little girl?" A voice asked.

Felicity looked around, not seeing anyone. "Who's there?"

A figure formed in the shadows in the shape of a wolf. "I am Arric." He circled around her and growled a little. "I can't allow you to go any further."

"Get out of my way." Felicity said, wincing a little.

Arric laughed and pounced, pinning her to the ground. "It would be so easy to kill you right now. Although, you are quite useful." At that moment, shadow vines wrapped around her arms, legs and neck. "You're not going where now."

"What do you want with me?" Felicity asked, struggling to get free.

"Simple." Arric said. "I want you to be engulfed in the darkness. Become a puppet for my mistress."

 _'It's no use.'_ Felicity thought. _'I'm too weak to fight back and these vines are keeping me from using my magic. Lyon. I need you. Why am I calling out to him? He wouldn't care about me. That guy doesn't care about anyone. Still, I want him to rescue me. I can't possibly have feelings for him. He did protect me at one point. And now he's too far away. I have to send the flower back to Alfea.'_ At that moment, the flower disappeared in an orb of light.

"Stop struggling little girl." Arric said. "Give in to the shadow."

Felicity's eyes glazed over as her body became limp. "The...shadows..." Within seconds she was unconscious.

Arric laughed and disappeared with Felicity. "Another pet for my mistress."

"Felicity can handle anything you throw at her." Rafe said.

Rave laughed and smirked a little. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. My little friend has already captured her. Within no time, she'll be just another demon puppet."

Rafe winced and fell unconscious. _'Felicity. It can't be true.'_

Rave smiled a little and disappeared with Rafe. _'I knew this wouldn't take long.'_

 **Shadow Lair**

"You've done well Rave." Rangda said, looking down upon Felicity and Rafe.

Arric released a small howl and stood beside his mistress. "Two for the price of one."

"Wake them." Rangda said.

Rave smirked and snapped his fingers, causing Felicity and Rafe to open their eyes. "These weaklings didn't stand a chance."

"Where am I?" Felicity asked.

Rafe struggled and glared at Rangda. "Let us go witch."

Rangda laughed as Felicity appeared beside her. "You're in no position to give orders. Poor boy. You couldn't even save your little sister." At that moment, a dark red aura engulfed Felicity.

"Felicity?!" Rafe called out. "Leave her alone! I'm the one you want."

Rangda smiled as the aura cleared, revealing Felicity as a demonic harpy. "Why should I settle for one of you when I can have you both? Rise Phynera!"

Felicity stood and stretched out her wings, letting off a loud screech. "Yes mistress."

"No." Rafe said, looking down a little. "Felicity."

Rangda laughed, focusing her attention on Rafe. "Now it's your turn."

Rafe kept his gaze on the floor, waiting to be turned into a demon himself. _'Filly. I couldn't protect you. Forgive me.'_ As Rangda came closer, a bright light engulfed him.

 _'Go now Rafe. I know you want to save Felicity, but there's nothing you can do now. You need time to regain your energy. I can't keep this up for much longer. Hurry.'_

Rafe fisted his hands and disappeared in a flash of light. _'Thank you. Please. Help me save her.'_

 _'You are not the one meant to save her. The only one that can get through to her is the one she loves.'_

"Where is he?!" Rangda called out, growing angry.

 _'She intervened again, but I can't let Rangda know.'_ Asher thought.

"No matter." Rangda said. "I still have my newest pet. Phynera."

Phynera flew up into the air and landed in front of Rangda, bowing. "What is your command?"

"Go to Tempesta." Rangda said. "Destroy the basilisk spores before those goody goods find them. And if you run into them. Well, I'm sure you can figure that out."

Phynera nodded and flew off into the night sky. _'I will not fail my mistress.'_

 **Tempesta**

"Try not to runaway when things get scary." Lyon said, walking with Rosella into a cave.

Rosella ignored Lyon, wanting to focus on finding the spores. "We're here to find the spores. According to the legends, they are somewhere in this cave."

Phynera flew through the sky and entered the cave through a hole in the ceiling. _'Found the spores.'_ She then landed and was about to destroy the spores, when she heard voices. _'That must be the ones I was told about.'_ Hiding in the shadows, she awaited for her prey to alive.

"Those look like spores." Lyon said, pointing some gold and black spores on the cave wall.

Rosella smiled and made her way over to them. "The legends were true. This is it." She then pulled out a bottle and filled it with the spores. "That should be enough."

Phynera watched from the shadows and smiled before screeching and flying up into the light. "Time for you to die."

Rosella transformed and flew up into the air. "I was hoping that things would go more smoothly."

"Nothing is ever easy sweetheart." Lyon said as his nunchuks formed. "Bring it on bird face."

Phynera glared and dived down towards Lyon. "Wind Blade!"

Lyon winced, barely blocking the attack. "You'll have to do better than that birdy."

"Light Arrow!"

Phynera smirked and dodged the attack. "You can't hit me fairy. I'm quicker in the air. Wind Blast!"

Rosella cried out in pain as she was slammed against the wall. "She's strong."

"What gave that away?" Lyon asked. "Terra Wave!"

Phynera laughed, not even phased by the attack. "Your little earth attacks won't work on me. I just have to stay in the air."

"Unicorn Rush!"

Phynera dodged the attack and screeched again. "None of your attacks can hit me. You can never win."

Lyon glared and prepared another attack. "This isn't over demon. Terra Blast!"

Phynera winced and charged at Lyon, ripping his shirt. "Stupid boy."

"Light Arrow!"

Phynera blocked the attack with her wing and snickered. "That's not enough to take me down." She then turned her attention back to Lyon and pinned him to the wall. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Lyon struggled, wincing a little. "You're even uglier up close."

"Stop trying to make her angry." Rosella said.

Phynera screeched as her claws dug into Lyon's shoulders. "You're going to die down here."

Lyon winced as he begun to bleed. "I'm not dead yet. What are you waiting for?"

"No on is going to save you." Phynera said. "Pony girl is too afraid to do anything. Even she knows that it's pointless to fight back against me."

Rosella breathed heavily, growing weaker by the minute. "You're wrong. I'm not afraid. The fear I once had is gone. No. I am afraid. Afraid of losing my friends. They've been there for me from the very beginning. Everyone has something their afraid of. You just have to have the courage to face that fear and break past it. I want to be strong so I can protect the people I care about."

"Are you finished yet?" Phynera asked. "That little speech of yours is so pathetic."

"I don't care." Rosella said. "I am afraid, but that won't stop me from fighting back." At that moment, a pink, flower-shaped brooch with a pink pearl in the center formed on her chest along with a pink bag with a purple lotus on her hip.

Lyon winced as he continued to bleed. "Would you just do something already?"

"It doesn't matter." Phynera said. "You still can't hit me."

Rosella kept her gaze on Phynera as she started to glow. "We'll see about that. Light Arrow Shower!"

Phynera cried out in pain and released Lyon, before flying up towards the hole. "This isn't over. You won't be so lucky next time." With that, she took off into the sky.

"Took you long enough." Lyon said.

Rosella nodded and returned to normal. "Better late than never. Let's get out of here."

"You're not half bad." Lyon said. "It's odd. That demon seemed familiar."

"How many demons do you know?" Rosella asked.

"None." Lyon said, as they headed back to Alfea.

 **Shadow Lair**

"Phynera failed." Asher said.

Rangda smirked and chuckled a little. "It doesn't matter. Her wounds will heal quickly. That's why I chose that healing fairy. She's a demon they can't destroy."

Phynera landed in front of Rangda and bowed. "I will accept any punishment you see fit mistress."

Arric yawned and laid down. _'She is a perfect pet for my mistress.'_

"I have no intention of punishing you my dear." Rangda said. "Instead, I will give you more power. All you have to do is sleep for a while."

Phynera nodded and stood up. "As you wish mistress."

"Good." Rangda said as a black bird cage appeared. "This is where you will stay until I say. You will regain your energy in this and remain in slumber until I summon you. Now step inside."

Phynera stepped into the cage and perched on the wooden beam, falling into a deep slumber. _'I will have my revenge on that fairy.'_

Rangda smiled as the cage locked and disappeared. "Those fools won't know what hit them."

"Where did you send her?" Asher asked.

"She's locked away in a pit of hell fire." Rangda said. "Her power will grow stronger along with the hold I have on her. Now stop questioning my decisions." She then smirked and gave her amulet a squeeze.

Asher winced and dropped to his knees. "Forgive me mistress."

"That's good my pet." Rangda said, laughing a little.

 **Alfea**

Carmen sat next to Rexx in the infirmary, hoping that he would recover fast. "I won't leave your side Rexx."

Rexx smiled and grabbed Carmen's hand. "I'm fine Carmen. The burns will heal in time. I don't blame you. None of this was your fault."

Carmen nodded and laid her head on the bed. "I know that. I just wish that there was something else I could do."

Rosella walked into the infirmary and smiled upon seeing Carmen. "You two seem to be doing alright."

"Rosella. I take it that you found the spores." Carmen said.

Rosella nodded and sat down. "Yeah. We barely got out of there alive."

"Why?" Carmen asked. "What happened?"

"A harpy." Lyon said, glancing over at Rexx. "You look like crap."

"How did things go for you?" Rosella asked.

"We found the fire stone." Carmen said. "I had to dive into molten lava, but I got it."

Rexx laughed a little and winced. "I could say the same to you. I'll be fine in a few days or weeks or months."

"I think that I can help with that." Rosella said. "Healing Light!"

Rexx smiled and looked to Rosella. "Thanks a lot. I feel much better."

"You still need to rest." Carmen said.

"What caused this?" Rosella asked.

"Just a lava snake demon." Carmen said. "I kicked its butt and even earned my charmix."

 _'A lava demon.'_ Rosella thought. "That makes both of us. I wonder if anyone else has."

"I'm not sure." Carmen said. "So far it's just me, you and Daniel. That's all I know anyway."

Rosella sighed and looked out the window. "I hope everyone else is having luck finding things."

"A flower did appear." Carmen said. "I haven't seen Felicity or Rafe though."

Rafe appeared in the infirmary, breathing heavily. _'I made it.'_

"Rafe." Rosella said. "Healing Light!"

Rafe looked up at Rosella before sitting up. "Thanks."

"What happened to you man?" Rexx asked.

"I had a run in with a few of those Collectors." Rafe said, wincing a little. "Three of them. I managed to get rid of the girls."

Lyon sighed and helped Rafe on to a bed. "Don't mention this to anyone."

"Krista and Neva." Carmen said.

"What about Felicity?" Rosella asked. "Where is she?"

Rafe looked down and gripped his arm. "I told her to find the flower. The only trouble I had was with that guy, Rave."

"Rafe." Rosella said. "What happened to Felicity?"

Rafe continued to look down, not wanting to meet any of their gazes. "We were taken back to their hideout. That witch has Felicity. I couldn't save her. All I could do was watch as that witch turned her into that awful harpy."

"Harpy." Rosella said.

"Is something wrong?" Rafe asked.

"We were attacked by a harpy." Lyon said. "It was almost as if I knew her. That thing is Felicity."

Rosella looked down before walking over to window. "Not only do we have to save Rachel, but Felicity as well. Who else is going to get hurt?"

"That witch is bringing down our numbers." Carmen said. "Picking us off one by one."

Rosella sighed and turned back to face everyone. "It won't happen again. We're going to show that witch just who she's messing with."

 **Mystea**

"The best place to find the vruenera would be the mountains." Catarina said.

Gale nodded and made his way to the mountains with Catarina. "Let's just hope that we are able to find a feather."

"It can't be just any feather." Catarina said. "We have to pluck it from the vruenera's tail. These birds are very hostile."


	26. True Intentions

_~~~~~~Previously_

 _Felicity and Rafe made it to Aquatica, only to be attacked by the remaining Collectors. During the battle, Felicity took off in order to find the moon flower. After earning her Charmix, she was captured by the demon Arric and taken to Rangda along with Rafe. Rafe watched as the witch turned Felicity into a demon harpy, known as Phynera. After finding the basilisk spores, Rosella and Lyon were attacked by Phynera. During the battle, Rosella managed to earn her Charmix and frighten the harpy away. ~~~~~~~_

 **Mystea**

Catarina led Gale through the mountains, starting to breathe heavily. "The air is starting to get thick and heavy. We can't go on like this."

"I got an idea." Gale said, forming a sphere of mist in his hand. Within seconds, they were both surrounded by a misty aura.

"What is this?" Catarina asked.

"It's a special spell that I learned." Gale said. "The mist will keep the air from affecting us. It's meant for areas like this."

Catarina smiled and continued up the mountain. "We should be getting close to the nests."

Rangda appeared behind one of the Vruenera and smirked. _'You'll do nicely. These birds are already hostile. I'll use my magic in order to control this one.'_ She laughed to herself as a red mist surrounded the bird. _'You're mine now bird. Destroy them. The want to steal your feathers.'_

The bird squawked and flew up into the air, turning its gaze on the two. It looked like a black and red vulture with yellow eyes, razor sharp talons, a long beak full of razor sharp teeth and a long tail with spikes down it. It's eyes glowed as it dived towards Catarina and Gale.

"Watch out!" Gale called out, pushing Catarina out of the way. He winced and looked at his bleeding arm.

"Are you alright?" Catarina asked.

Gale nodded and focused his attention on the bird. "Keep it distracted. I'll go for the feather."

Catarina transformed and flew up into the air. "Be careful."

The Vruenera screeched and flew towards Catarina, aiming for her wings.

Catarina remained where she was and readied a spell. "Aura Blast!"

"Wind Tonfa! Cyclone!"

The Vruenera turned its attention and clawed his chest, not even phased by the cyclone. It then turned back around and dug its claws into his shoulders, lifting him up into the air.

"Gale?!" Catarina called out, flying after him.

Gale cried out in pain and struggled to get free. The more he struggled, the deeper the claws would dig in. "Hit it with everything you got Catarina."

Catarina nodded and fired off another aura blast. "Let him go bird."

The Vruenera made a strange noise and dropped Gale on the ground, before setting its sights on Catarina. It screeched again and clawed her wings, ripping them. Before she could react, it bit into her shoulder and sent her crashing into the ground.

"Catarina?!" Gale called out, wincing in pain.

Rangda laughed and walked over to them. "Such weaklings. Did you really think that you could win?" She smirked and rubbed Gale's face. "You're quite the handsome one."

"Leave him alone." Catarina said, wincing and standing. "Get away from him."

Rangda turned to Catarina, pinning Gale down with her foot. "You don't stand a chance against me. Perhaps I'll make him one of my pets or food for one of them."

"Aura Blast!"

Rangda smirked and blocked the attack. "You don't have the power to defeat me. And even if you did, you're still too weak to fight."

"Get out of here Catarina." Gale said, wincing in pain and holding a feather. Within an instant, it had disappeared and made its way to Alfea.

Catarina shook her head, keeping her gaze on Gale. "I won't leave you here alone."

"I'd rather this witch get one of us instead of both of us." Gale said.

Rangda laughed and moved her foot to his neck. "Be quiet little boy. I'm deciding what to do with you."

Catarina winced and fell to her knees. _'Not again. I can feel their pain. They are all crying out for help. She's right. I am weak. I'll never be able to defeat her.'_

"Catarina." Gale said. "What's wrong?"

Catarina shook her head and smiled a little. "It's nothing Gale. Don't worry about me."

"You can talk to me Catarina." Gale said.

Rangda laughed and applied a little pressure to Gale's neck. "That's enough out of you." She smirked as a black aura surrounded her. "How does it feel little aura fairy? I know this hurts you."

Catarina cried out in pain and held her head. "Stop it!"

Gale winced, keeping his gaze on Catarina. "Cat. It's alright. Please. Talk to me."

Catarina looked at Gale, tears running down her face. "I can feel it. Her aura is so strong. Why did I have to be an aura fairy? There are times when I absolutely hate it. It hurts so much."

Rangda smirked as dark red threads wrapped around Gale. "How pathetic. You have got to be the weakest out of all your fairy friends."

"Don't listen to her Catarina." Gale said, struggling to get free.

The Vruenera screeched before digging its claws into Gale's chest, causing him to wince in pain.

"You're not even going to try to save him." Rangda said. "I'll just let my pet rip him to shreds just so you can watch him die."

Catarina slowly stood up and glared at Rangda. "Leave him alone. Even if I do hate my magic from time to time, it is still part of me. I am the fairy of aura and nothing will change that. I can feel the aura of everything around me. If it means helping my friends, then I'll use this magic to the full extent." At that moment, a brooch and bag appeared.

Rangda glared and readied an attack. "Talk all you want fairy. There's nothing that you can do to stop me."

Gale winced and quickly pulled a feather from the Vruenera's tail. _'I got the feather. All we have to do is get out of here.'_ "You've got this Cat."

"I won't allow you to hurt him anymore." Catarina said. "Chakra Blast!"

Rangda cried out in pain a little as the threads binding Gale disappeared and the Vruenera returned to normal, flying back to its nest. "I'm not finished with you yet." She glared and disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"Gale." Catarina said, slowly making her over to him. "Are you alright?"

Gale winced and nodded. "Don't worry about me. You got your charmix. And I got the feather."

"Yeah." Catarina said, returning to normal. "Let's just get out of here before someone or something else shows up."

 **Alfea**

Catarina appeared in the infirmary with Gale, helping on to a bed. "You'll be better in no time. It's just a little blood."

"What horrible thing attacked you two?" Carmen asked.

"Just the Vruenera." Catarina said.

Gale winced and smiled a little. "Along with Rangda."

"We can't keep going like this." Catarina said. "Everyone is getting hurt."

Rosella looked down and made her way over to Gale. "It doesn't appear as if you've lost a lot of blood. Healing Light!"

"It's all from the Vruenera." Gale said. "It was just a few scratches. I can't say the same for Catarina."

"What does he mean Catarina?" Rosella asked.

Catarina sighed and transformed, revealing her torn wings. "It got me by the wings. I'm fine. It could have been a lot worse."

"Healing Light!" Rosella placed a hand on Catarina's shoulder and smiled. "All that matters is that you're both alive."

Rafe looked down and closed his eyes. _'What am I supposed to do now?'_

"We'll save Felicity Rafe." Rosella said. "I promise."

"What happened to Felicity?" Catarina asked.

"She's a harpy now." Carmen said.

Rafe turned away and gripped his arm. "I was supposed to protect her."

"You can't possibly know everything that's going to happen." Catarina said. "We're not going to stop until she's free."

Lyon walked out of the room and into the quad. _'None of you can help her. Why do I care anyway? That fairy doesn't mean anything to me.'_

"You can fool everyone else, but you can't fool yourself." Draegan said, walking up behind Lyon.

"What the hell do you want?" Lyon asked.

Draegan smirked and turned to face him. "Just admit that you have feelings for her."

"I don't have feelings for anyone." Lyon said.

Draegan chuckled and leaned up against a tree. "It's written all over your face. The others don't see it, but I do. If you need more proof, go and save her. You are a hero right."

"I don't have to do anything." Lyon said, growing a little annoyed. _'Except that he's right. I do like her, but that doesn't mean that I can save her.'_ "It wouldn't matter. I don't know even know where she is."

Draegan sighed and shook his head. "You can't get there on your own."

"Is that so?" Lyon asked. "And I take it that you can."

"Of course." Draegan said. "I know how to get into the castle. You'll have to find her on your own from there."

"How do you even know she's there?" Lyon asked. "That witch could have hidden her anywhere."

"I didn't even think of that." Draegan said, sulking a little. "So much for that idea."

Lyon smirked and walked towards the gate. "Whatever. I'll find her without your help." With that, he took off out of sight.

"It's about time." Draegan said, following after him. "I told you that it's too dangerous to go alone. If you want to find the fairy, you should go after the witch. No one else would know where to look."

Lyon nodded and continued running. "We just have to get her attention."

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda watched Lyon and Draegan on a red orb, smirking a little. "They're looking for little old me. No. That hero is looking for the fairy. He will make a perfect snack for Phynera."

 **Andros**

"Are you sure you want to be here with me?" Zane asked, staring out at the water.

"Of course." Daniel said. "We are friends after all."

Zane nodded, keeping his gaze on the water. "I just don't want to put you in danger."

"That's not going to happen." Daniel said.

"How do you know?" Zane asked. "What if Rangda shows up and I attack you?"

"I got through to you before." Daniel said. "I'm sure that I can do it again."

Zane sighed and closed his eyes. "I hope you're right Daniel."

"Let's find those creep vines." Daniel said smiling.

Zane nodded and dived into the water, following Daniel. "Any idea where we can find them?"

"I'm not sure." Daniel said. "I've only heard of them. They're supposed to be quite rare."

 **Shadow Lair**

"They are looking for the creeping vines." Rangda said.

Asher sat beside Rangda and smirked. _'You don't know even know what you're looking for brother.'_

"You've waited long enough Asher." Rangda said. "Capture him." She then snapped her fingers and he was surrounded in red aura. "Now you can fight underwater."

Asher smiled a little and disappeared into dark flames. _'I'm coming for you brother.'_

Rangda laughed and disappeared into a cloud of red smoke. _'The ritual is about to begin. And then hell will take over.'_ She appeared in front of Phynera's cage and smiled. "It's time to fly my pet."

Phynera awoke and flew out of the cage. "What is your command mistress?"

Rangda smirked, revealing an image of Lyon and Draegan. "Tear them to pieces."

Phynera nodded and flew off out of the castle. _'Time to feed.'_

"I don't like that other witch being here." Neva said.

Krista chuckled and leaned up against a wall. "Now you know that Shadow isn't the one that's truly in charge."

"I still have to get him out of the way." Neva said.

Krista smirked, keeping her gaze on Neva. "You still answer to Shadow. We just have to take his power."

 **Gloomy Wood Forest**

"Where are we now?" Draegan asked.

"Gloomy Wood Forest." Lyon said.

Draegan smiled a little, remembering back to when he first encountered Rave. "Oh yeah. How could I forget?"

Phynera spotted the boys from the sky, hovering in front of the moon. _'They won't even see me coming.'_ She chuckled to herself and flew down towards Draegan, throwing him against a tree.

Draegan cried out in pain and slowly stood up. "That was uncalled for."

Phynera laughed, knocking Draegan back on the ground. "Silly boy. I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart."

"Terra Wave!"

Phynera jumped up into the air, dodging the attack. "Haven't you learned anything? You're little attacks don't work on me. All I have to do is fly out of the way."

"Phoenix Fire!"

"Don't hurt her." Lyon said.

Phynera smirked and shielded herself with her wings. "Fire doesn't work on me."

"We don't have a choice." Draegan said. "There's nothing we can do if we don't weaken her first."

Phynera laughed and grabbed Draegan by the neck, pinning him against a tree. "I won't give you the chance. You'll make a perfect test dummy. I've gotten a lot stronger." She smirked as a black energy surrounded him.

Draegan cried out in pain as his body started to go limp. _'What's happening to me?'_

"Do you feel that little boy?" Phynera asked. "Your body is going limp. You'll be nothing but a lifeless puppet. Don't worry. You'll still be alive. You just won't be able to feel anything."

"Felicity." Lyon said.

Phynera turned to Lyon, dropping Draegan's body to the ground. "Felicity is gone sweetheart. Only Phynera remains."

"I won't believe that." Lyon said. "Felicity. I know you're still in there."

 _'There's nothing I can do.'_ Draegan thought. _'I can see and hear everything. We're in trouble. We should have waited.'_

Phynera laughed as dark threads pulled Lyon back against a tree. "I have a few more tricks to test out." She then walked up to him and rubbed his face. "Don't you get it? Felicity is never coming back." Smirking, she watched as red threads formed on his skin.

"You can't have her." Lyon said, wincing a little. "Felicity please. I'm probably the last person you want to see, but I want to see you."

Phynera glared and scratched his face. "She's dead little boy. What part of that don't you understand?"

Lyon cried out in pain, keeping his gaze on her. "You're wrong. If you can hear me Felicity, I love you. I don't care if you hate me. Listen, I don't know how to deal with people. If you knew what I've gone through, then you'll understand why I'm this way. Actually, I'm afraid. I've always been afraid. Ever since we met, I haven't been able to get you out of my head."

Phynera clawed his chest in an attempt to stop him from talking. "That's enough out of you."

 _'Leave him alone.'_

 _'How the hell are you still here?'_ Phynera thought.

 _'Lyon. I love you too. Help me.'_

"Felicity!" Lyon called out.

Phynera cried out in pain and fell to her knees, releasing Lyon. "I won't let you!"

"Fight her Felicity." Lyon said, embracing her. "I know you can do this. You are stronger than she'll ever be."

 _'This is my body.' Felicity thought. 'And you will not exist anymore.'_

Phynera cried out in pain as she faded away. _'This isn't possible.'_

Draegan winced and stretched out. "Hey. I can move again."

Lyon smiled a little as the threads disappeared. "Felicity."

Felicity slowly opened her eyes and started to cry. "Lyon. I couldn't stop myself. "

"It's alright little fairy." Lyon said. "It wasn't your fault."

Felicity continued to cry, curling into him. "I could see everything she did. I hurt my friends."

"That wasn't you." Lyon said. "The demon is gone now. You're free."

Felicity looked up at him and smiled a little. "All because of you."

"Just kiss already." Draegan said.

Lyon smiled and gently kissed Felicity. "We should head back. There's still a lot left to do."

Felicity smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I don't want to be out here in the open."

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda growled and blasted the wall. "That hero will pay. How could he defeat Phynera?"

"You underestimate them." Krista said, stepping out of the shadows.

Rangda glared, turning her attention to Krista. "Watch your tongue child."

"We should strike while they are weakened." Neva said.

Rangda fired off another blast of energy, creating a hole in the wall next to Neva. "I didn't ask for your opinion girl. I give the orders around here."

 **Andros**

"How are we breathing underwater?" Zane asked.

"It's just a little spell I know." Daniel said. "It should last long enough for us to find the vines."

"Dark Fire!"

"Watch out!" Zane called out, pushing Daniel out of the way and wincing a little.

Daniel turned, taking notice to Shadow. "Are you alright Zane?"

Zane nodded as a barrier appeared around the area. "This should make it easier to fight."

"Stop hiding Asher." Daniel said, keeping his gaze on Shadow.

Shadow laughed, revealing his true self. "You don't seem happy to see me."

"You've been hurting innocent people." Daniel said. "Tell me something brother. Why did you do it?"

Asher smirked and readied another attack. "How did you figure out it was me? Let me guess. Rangda told you. No. You never would have believed her. Ulrik must have confirmed it. You want to know why. It's because of you. This is all your fault Danny."

"What did I do that was so bad?" Daniel asked. "What did I do to make you take the essence of innocent fairies?"

Asher glared, forming a dark fire whip. "You became a fairy. It was always you. Everything went so well for you. Why were you the one that became the fairy? What makes you so special?"

Daniel transformed, keeping his gaze on Asher. "You did all of this out of jealousy. I didn't choose to become a fairy and I don't know why I am one. It doesn't give you the right to take the essence."

"It's not just essence I've been taking dear brother." Asher said. "Dark Fire Whip!"

"Aqua Shield!"

"Be careful Daniel." Zane said.

Asher turned to Zane and laughed. "You came here with the beast. How foolish of you. He's nothing but a monster and that's all he'll ever be. He will destroy you."

Zane looked down and held his arm. _'I am a monster. Daniel shouldn't have come here with me.'_

"Go find the vines Zane." Daniel said. "I'll handle my brother." He turned his attention back to Asher and glared a little. "You're wrong. Zane is my best friend. He's not the monster. You are. Why do you hate fairies so much?"

Zane nodded and took off out of sight. 'Daniel doesn't think I'm a monster. Now. Where are those vines? I hope he can handle things.'

"You've got it all wrong." Asher said. "I don't hate fairies. I adore them. Call it an obsession if you like. And I'd do this all over again. Dark Fire Spiral!"

Daniel cried out in pain as he was knocked back a little. "I can't let you get away with this. Brother please. You've got to stop this."

Asher laughed as dark tentacles wrapped around Daniel's arms and legs. "Why would I want to stop? Don't worry. I won't destroy you just yet. You play a much bigger role in all this than you realize."

Daniel struggled to get free, but to no avail. "You don't have to do this."

 _'There they are.'_ Zane thought, watching vines move around a cave wall. _'No wonder they are called creeping vines.'_ He chuckled to himself and gathered some. _'Now to get back to Daniel.'_ Swimming back to Daniel, he took notice to the tentacles. "Thunder Whip!"

"Stay out of this monster." Asher said as a tentacle pulled Zane deeper into the water, outside of the barrier. "Let's see how long you can hold your breath. That little tentacle will render that little spell useless."

"Zane?!" Daniel called out, before turning his attention back to Asher. "Let him go. This is between you and me."

Asher smirked, focusing his attention back on Daniel. "I'm not going to kill him. Rangda will love to have her little pet back. Having him in a weakened state will make him easier to control."

"Expanding Water Bolts!"

Asher winced and held his arm. "You're actually going to fight me. Fine. I'll weaken you first. Dark Fire Katana!"

Daniel cried out in pain, struggling to breathe. "I won't let you win. Neptune Vortex!"

Asher cried out in pain as he was knocked down a little. "You won't even fight me at full strength. I can tell that you're holding back. You just can't stand the thought of fighting your dear younger brother."

"I'm not finished yet." Daniel said as his charmix appeared. "Neptune Whirlpool!"

Asher remained where he was, not even phased by the attack. "Is that it? Alone you are nothing. I'm stronger than you'll ever be. Dark Fire Slash!"

Daniel cried out in pain, returning to his normal form. _'He's too strong. I can't keep this up.'_

Asher laughed as dark fire wrapped around Daniel. "You've fallen right into my trap brother. And now, nothing will get in the way of my plans."

Zane freed himself and started to swim towards Daniel. "Daniel?!"

Daniel winced and turned to Zane. "Get out of here Zane. You need to get the vines back to the others. I'll be fine. It won't be good if we both get captured."

"I can't just leave you." Zane said. "What kind of friend would I be if I did?"

Daniel started to breathe heavily as his vision started to blur. "You have to. Rachel needs you. They all need you. You can't fight him alone. Now hurry up and get going."

Zane nodded and disappeared out of sight. _'I couldn't do anything to save him.'_

Asher laughed, watching as Daniel fell unconscious. _'You're mine now brother.'_

 **Alfea**

"We can't win." Felicity said.

"What are you talking about Felicity?" Lyon asked.

"Rangda is too powerful." Felicity said. "Everyone is getting hurt. We can't keep fighting like this."

Draegan sighed as they walked through the gate. "Don't tell me that you're giving up already."

"You've seen what she can do." Felicity said. "How are we supposed to stop her?"

Zane appeared in the quad and sat down on a bench. _'I'm useless. Some hero I am. I couldn't even save my friend.'_

"By working together." Lyon said.

Felicity chuckled a little. "I never expected to hear that from you."

Draegan took notice to Zane, holding his arm a little. "It's Zane. He's supposed to be with Daniel."

"Where is Daniel?" Lyon asked.

Zane took notice to others, quickly looking away. _'I can't face them. How can I?'_

"What happened Zane?" Felicity asked. "Where's Daniel?"

Zane looked down and gripped his arm. "He. He sacrificed himself for me. Asher attacked and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help him. Daniel was captured. Asher wants him for something, but I'm not sure what."

"It's not your fault." Felicity said. "I'm sure that you did what you could. Don't beat yourself up over this."

Zane nodded and released a small sigh. "I guess you're right. It's nice to have you back Felicity. You should go to the infirmary. Everyone will be happy to see you and your magic will come in handy."

Felicity smiled and made her way to the infirmary. "Guess who's back."

"Felicity!" Carmen called out, running up and hugging her. "You're back to normal. I was so worried about you. We all were so worried. Wait a minute. How did you return to normal? I had this feeling that only true love could break the spell. That is how all the fairy tales go, which are actually real if you think about it. Or is that just how it goes anyway? Wait. If it did require true love, then you have someone you love and loves you back. Who is it? Tell me. I want to know."

Felicity blushed a little, waiting for Carmen to finish talking. "It's nice to see you as well. You wouldn't believe me. Oh. I just saw Zane. It would seem that Daniel has been taken. How far have we gotten with gathering the items?"

"If Zane is here, then he must have the creeping vines." Rosella said.

Catarina nodded and stretched out a little. "That would leave the sugar lotus and ice crystals. I hope nothing goes wrong."

"You all don't look too good." Felicity said. "Healing Rain! That should take care of things."

 **Shadow Lair**

Asher appeared with Daniel, chaining him to a nearby pillar. "This won't take long."

"Well done my pet." Rangda said.

Daniel slowly opened his eyes and looked around. _'Where am I?'_

"Don't bother trying to use your magic brother." Asher said. "Those chains suppress all magic."

"What do you want with me?" Daniel asked.

Rangda smirked and walked over to Daniel. "You really have no idea. How cute. You have no idea why you even exist or why you're a fairy."

"I suppose you do." Daniel said.

Rangda smiled and turned to Asher. "Leave us."

Asher nodded and disappeared into dark fire. _'Things are going according to plan.'_

"Would you like to know?" Rangda asked.

"You're going to tell me anyways." Daniel said, struggling to get free.

Rangda laughed and rubbed his face. "So naive. You play the most important role in a particular ritual."

"Let me guess." Daniel said. "It's one that requires fairy essence."

Rangda smiled and stepped away from him. "You catch on quick. Collecting fairy essence can change the balance between the light and dark. However, it's not enough to just collect it. It must be refined. It's actually quite similar to a ritual performed last year. Although, you wouldn't know about that. The essence needs to fuse with a special kind of magic. Your magic to be more specific."

Daniel struggled once more to get free, but to no avail. "What are you saying?"

"It requires the magic of a male fairy." Rangda said. "Well, it could be from any male fairy. You just happened to show up at the right time. Besides, it was easy to manipulate that brother of yours."

"What did you do to him?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing much." Rangda said. "He was already quite jealous when you became a fairy and he didn't. It was his idea to collect the essence. The poor boy thinks he can use it to become one himself. What a fool. As for the other thing." She smirked as the room lit up. "Have a look for yourself. He's been taking more than essence. I'm sure he's already told you that. Asher wasn't interested in taking wings, until I put the idea in his head."

Daniel glared, struggling once more. "You're the one behind this."

"Naturally." Rangda said, revealing her amulet. "This amulet allows me to control all my pets through a little crystal in their body. Zane found a way to break free temporarily and he thought he was done with me. The brother you knew is gone. I control every little thing that he does. Asher is my pet and you will soon be one as well. Remember one thing little boy. With this amulet, I can cause him pain whenever I choose. I could even kill him if I wanted to. Once you fuse with the essence, you'll be nothing but a mindless beast. A beast that will bring chaos to the entire magic dimension. Everything will be placed in eternal darkness and my demons will roam free. Just be a good boy and do as your told."

Daniel looked down and winced a little. _'Asher. You're doing all this because of this witch. I knew that people would be in danger around me.'_

 **Natora**

"It's nice to be home." Abigail said.

Colton looked around, taking in all the surroundings. "There's so many beautiful plants. I've never seen anything like them before."

"Most of these plants only grow here on Natora." Abigail said. "There are even plants that are very rare here as well. The sugar lotus is one of those plants. It's rare to find one anywhere. We could spend weeks looking for it."

Colton sighed and nodded. "We don't have weeks. There has to be a way to find it."

Abigail smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We won't stop until we do. Let's start our search in the valley. There are hundreds of flowers there."


	27. A Light Within the Darkness

_~~~~Previously~~~~_

 _Catarina and Gale went looking for the Vruenera feather when they were attacked by Rangda. During the battle, the witch managed to pin Gale down using the Vruenera she controlled. After admitting that she could stand her magic sometimes, Catarina earned her Charmix and scared Rangda away. Draegan and Lyon went off in search in Rangda, only to be attacked by Phynera. Lyon managed to get through to Felicity, causing her to return to normal. Meanwhile, Daniel and Zane were in search of the creeping vines of Andros. During their search, they were attacked by Asher and Daniel was captured. Rangda revealed to Daniel that she was the one controlling Asher's actions, forcing him to take fairy wings as well. ~~~~_

 **Shadow Lair**

Daniel kept his gaze on the floor, thinking about everything that had happened so far. _'I have to find a way to save Asher, but I can't do that if I'm a prisoner here. If it wasn't for that witch, he wouldn't have done any of this. Can we really put an end to all of this? Mother. Father. I wish you were here.'_

 _'Daniel.'_

 _'Who's there?'_ Daniel asked.

 _'Don't tell me that you've forgotten who I am.'_

 _'Mother.'_ Daniel thought. _'I don't understand. How is this possible?'_

 _'Daniel.'_ Mythia said. _'I've never left your side. I know your scared.'_

 _'Why now?'_ Daniel asked. _'Why are you answering me now? I've had so much going through my head.'_

 _'I wanted to sweetheart.'_ Mythia said. _'I'm sorry for not answering before, but Asher needed me more.'_

 _'What do you mean?'_ Daniel asked.

 _'He's been hurting so much.'_ Mythia said. _'That witch turned him into a monster and there was nothing I could do to help him, but you can.'_

 _'How could I help him?'_ Daniel asked. _'I managed to get myself captured. There's so many wings, even yours. Why does he have your wings?'_

Mythia sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. _'You'll find a way. You're so much stronger than you know. He has my wings because I gave them to him.'_

 _'Why would you do that?'_ Daniel asked.

 _'I had no choice.'_ Mythia said. _'My essence fused with my wings somehow. I've fought that witch before. I couldn't let her have my essence, but she didn't know that they were part of my wings. Giving them to Asher was the only way to protect it.'_

Daniel looked down and started to cry a little. _'I don't feel strong at all. My friends keep getting hurt and I haven't been able to help them.'_

 _'You underestimate yourself.'_

 _'How can you be sure?'_ Daniel asked.

 _'Because you're my son.'_ Pheres said.

 _'How am I supposed to do anything if I'm stuck here?'_ Daniel asked.

 _'You're not alone Daniel.'_ Mythia said. _'You have friends that want to help as well.'_

 _'What if we're not strong enough?'_ Daniel asked. _'All I've done is put them in danger. They just keep getting hurt.'_

 _'I thought that you didn't want to be alone anymore.'_ Pheres said. _'You can't protect them from everything. Someone is always going to get hurt. Your friends still continue to fight, even when things get difficult. Aren't you the one that got through to your friend Zane?'_

Daniel looked up and nodded. _'I just don't know what to do now. If my friends come here, they could end up captured just like me.'_

 _'You just need to believe in yourself and your friends.'_ Mythia said. _'Only by working together can you hope to win.'_

Pheres smiled and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder. _'You can handle this.'_

 _'How am I supposed to get free without my magic?'_ Daniel asked.

Mythia smiled as a flash of light filled the room, releasing Daniel. _'You must go now. You're friends will be worried about you.'_ She hugged him as a portal opened up to Alfea. _'Stay strong.'_

 _'How can you still use magic?'_ Daniel asked. _'I didn't think that you could use still use magic even without your essence.'_

 _'My staff has its own magic. I don't have to rely on my essence for it to work.'_ Mythia said. _'Now go while you still can. We will meet again soon.'_

Daniel nodded and took off through the portal. _'Only by working together. Maybe we can do this.'_

Mythia turned to Pheres and smiled. _'You should go with him. I'll stay here with Asher.'_

 _'Alright.'_ Pheres said. _'Just be careful. Rangda can not find out about you being here.'_

Mythia nodded and kissed him. _'I'll be fine. Daniel will need your strength.'_

Pheres returned the kiss and followed Daniel through the portal. _'I may be just a spirit, but I can still help my son.'_

 **Natora**

"This is the place." Abigail said, looking out at the vast valley of flowers.

Colton smiled and looked around. "It's beautiful. There's so many flowers and colors."

"Nothing seems to disturb this place." Abigail said. "The plants are always healthy and in full bloom."

Colton nodded and sighed a little. "How are we supposed to find the sugar lotus here? There are so many flowers to go through."

"I'll simply ask the flowers themselves." Abigail said.

"How are you going to do that?" Colton asked.

Abigail smiled and placed a hand on the ground. "My magic is based off nature. I can use it to hear what they're saying." She then closed her eyes as her hand started to glow.

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda appeared in the throne room, taking notice to the missing Daniel. "How did he escape?" She growled a little and blasted the pillar he was chained to. "Someone is helping him."

Neva laughed and walked out of the shadows. "He's not the only one that's been getting help."

"Someone has been using light magic to free people here." Krista said. "And no one here uses that sort of magic."

"Is that so?" Rangda asked.

 _'Mother.'_ Asher thought. _'That witch can't find out about her.'_

Rangda smirked and used her magic to bring Asher in front of her. "You know something pet. Start talking. Who's using the magic?"

"How should I know?" Asher asked.

"You're lying." Rangda said, squeezing her amulet. "Tell me what you know."

Asher winced and held his head. "Mother."

 _'Mother.'_ Neva thought.

"Mythia." Rangda said. "That's not possible. She's dead. Tell me the truth."

Asher cried out in pain and fell to his knees. "Her spirit remains."

"How can she use magic?" Rangda asked. "She doesn't have her essence."

"Her staff uses its own magic." Asher said.

Rangda glared and threw Asher against a wall. "Then I'll just have to capture her spirit."

 _'Forgive me mother.'_ Asher thought.

"Bring me fairy boy." Rangda said. "This ritual starts now. I don't care what you have to do to get him here."

Neva smirked and disappeared into ice. _'Rangda uses that amulet to control Asher. This changes things. Not that it matters. I will take him down either way.'_

Krista nodded and disappeared into shadows. _'Time for some real fun. And those fairies are already weak and separated.'_

 **Alfea**

Daniel stepped through the portal and sighed a little. "I can't believe that I'm back here."

 _'This is where you belong Daniel.'_ Pheres said.

 _'Dad.'_ Daniel thought. _'What are you doing here?'_

 _'I'm here to help you.'_ Pheres said. _'Don't worry. You'll be the only one that can see and hear me.'_

Daniel smiled and looked up at the sky. _'We don't have much time. Rangda would have figured out that I'm gone by now. And I won't be the only one that will know you're around. One of my friends is an aura fairy. She would be able to sense you.'_

 _'Yeah.'_ Pheres said. _'Let's not worry about who can sense me here. I'll be around if you want to talk.'_

Daniel nodded and walked inside. "I wonder where everyone is."

"Daniel." Zane said smiling. "How did you get free?"

Daniel smiled and walked up to Zane. "It's a long story. Where is everyone?"

"Most of them are in the infirmary." Zane said. "Abigail and Colton must still be looking for the sugar lotus. And I'd say that Alex and Ulrik are still on Aurora. I'm glad to see that you're alright."

Daniel nodded and sighed a little. "I just hope that we're ready for what's to come."

 **Natora**

"Were they able to tell you anything?" Colton asked.

Abigail sighed and shook her head. "The lotus isn't around here. And the flowers don't know where to find it."

"We're back at square one." Colton said. "Do you have any other suggestions on where to look?"

Abigail thought for a few minutes and smiled. "Of course. I think I figured it out."

 **Shadow Lair**

"Mistress." Arric said.

"What is it Arric?" Rangda asked.

"It would seem that the sugar lotus is close to being found." Arric said.

Rangda smiled a little and created a orb, revealing Abigail and Colton. "We can't allow them to do that. What would you suggest?"

"I would send Ambrosia." Arric said.

Rangda smirked and chuckled. "Yes. She would be perfect against the flower girl. Rave."

Rave appeared in front of Rangda and smirked. "What could you possibly want from me?"

"Keep nature boy busy." Rangda said.

Rave smiled and disappeared into the shadows. _'Colton isn't that strong. I can take him with ease.'_

 **Natora**

Abigail led Colton to a rock covered in vines. "This is the place."

"I'm confused." Colton said. "All I see is a vine covered rock."

Abigail smiled and pulled the vines back. "It's so much more than that. This is the entrance to a very special place of mine."

Colton stood in amazement and followed Abigail down the small path leading into a large garden. "Where are we?"

"It's a secret garden that I came upon as a child." Abigail said. "I've kept it secret all this time."

Colton smiled and looked around. "There are even more flowers than we saw in the valley. I've never seen anything like them before."

"This garden is full of rare flowers." Abigail said. "Even those that are rare to Natora are located here."

"Why haven't you told anyone about this place?" Colton asked.

"If too many people were to come here, they could end up ruining the beauty of it." Abigail said. "These flowers need to grow naturally and not in some test lab."

Laughter echoed through the trees, calling Abigail towards it. "Come to me little fairy."

"Something's not right Abigail." Colton said, following after her. Before he knew it, he had lost her among the trees. "Abigail!"

Rave chuckled and watched Colton from the shadows. "Forget about her Colton. You have me to deal with."

"Rave." Colton said. "Stop hiding and show yourself."

Rave smirked and stepped out of the shadows. "You've grown a backbone Colton. I never thought that you were capable of such a thing."

"This isn't you Rave." Colton said. "The shadows have warped your mind."

Rave laughed and moved closer to Colton. "You act as if we're friends."

Abigail continued making her way through the trees, trying to find the source of the voice. "Who's there?"

"You're getting closer fairy. Come play with me."

Abigail followed the voice until she came to a tall oak tree. "Where are you?"

"My name is Ambrosia." At that moment, a dryad walked out from behind the oak. "Did I startle you?"

"Not at all." Abigail said. "My name is Abigail. I had no idea that a dryad would be here. Why haven't I seen you before?"

Ambrosia smiled and stepped out into the sun as the leaves on her outfit blew in the wind. "I just got here this morning. You see, I was looking for a place to call home and your garden seemed like the perfect spot." She wore a vine top with leaves across the top and a green skirt with leaves across the bottom.

"It's perfectly alright Ambrosia." Abigail said. "Consider this your new home."

Ambrosia nodded as her rose colored hair blew in the wind. "Thank you so much. Are you looking for something by any chance? I'd like to help if you don't mind."

"I'm trying to find a sugar lotus." Abigail said. "Would you happen to know what it looks like?"

Ambrosia smiled and spun around on one leg. "Not only that, but I happened to see one when I arrived."

"That's great." Abigail said. "Could you take me to it?"

Ambrosia nodded and led Abigail to the lotuses. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Abigail smiled and gently used her magic to grab the lotus. "Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to find it without your help."

"You should take one for yourself." Ambrosia said. "It would look beautiful in your hair."

Abigail shook her head and put away the lotus. "I couldn't do that. I only needed one. It wouldn't be right if I took another."

"Look around Abigail." Ambrosia said. "There are so many of them. Taking another wouldn't hurt." She smiled and picked a lotus, fashioning it into a crown with other flowers. "Consider this a gift from me to you."

"How could I refuse a gift from a friend?" Abigail asked.

Ambrosia smiled and placed the crown on Abigail's head. "Wow. I said that it would look beautiful in your hair. Have a look at your reflection."

Abigail nodded and looked into a nearby pond. "It is beautiful."

 _'You have no idea little fairy.'_ Ambrosia thought. _'The lotus in that crown has been tainted by a special poison of mine. I hope you like sleeping for eternity.'_ "It was meant for you to have."

Abigail winced and started to feel light-headed. "What's going on? I feel so weak and tired."

Ambrosia laughed, pushing Abigail to the ground. "It's time for you to sleep."

"What have you done?" Abigail asked as roots and vines lifted her up off the ground.

"My mistress knew you would be looking for the sugar lotus." Ambrosia said. "It's why she sent me. Gaining your trust was an easy task for me. The lotus in that crown is tainted with my poison. You'll soon sleep for all eternity. Don't worry though. You'll be among your precious flowers, giving your life energy to them. Then again. Perhaps I'll take that precious energy for myself."

Colton summoned his javelin and stood ready for an attack. "I don't want to fight you Rave."

"That's a shame." Rave said. "I really want to fight you. Shadow Slash!"

Colton blocked the attack, wincing a little. "You don't have to do this. We could be friends."

"Why would I want to be friends with you?" Rave asked.

"You won't be alone." Colton said. "I know that's what you really want." _'I have to figure out the source of the darkness around him.'_

Rave glared, sending a blast of shadow energy at Colton. "You know nothing about me."

Colton cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "That is the darkness talking. I want to be your friend Rave."

Rave laughed as his sais glowed with a dark energy. "I'm going to destroy you. You're such a weakling."

 _'His blades.'_ Colton thought. _'That must be what's corrupting him. I have to use my javelin at full power. It just might be enough to destroy the darkness within them.'_ "I'm going to save you Rave."

"I'd like to see you try." Rave said. "Shadow Blast!"

Colton dodged the attacked and held his javelin in the air. "This is for your own good. Light Javelin Burst! Full Power!"

Rave cried out in pain as the darkness surrounding his blades disappeared. He then fell to his knees and rubbed his head. "Where am I? What happened?"

"Natora." Colton said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The darkness in your blades took over your mind."

Rave shook his head and leaned back against a tree. "Colton. You saved me. Why? I don't understand."

"You're my friend." Colton said smiling. "Luckily, my javelin had enough energy to purify your sais."

Rave nodded and smiled. "Thank you my friend."

 _'I have to do something quick.'_ Abigail thought as her vision started to fade. "I won't let you."

Ambrosia laughed as leaves appeared around Abigail's arms and legs. "There's nothing you can do to stop me. You'll be in an eternal slumber within a few minutes. And no one will find you in time to help."

 _'No.'_ Abigail thought. _'Colton. Where are you?'_

"We can't stay here." Rave said. "Abigail is in danger."

Colton nodded and took off down the path with Rave. "What's going on Rave?"

"Rangda sent a evil dryad after Abigail." Rave said. "We have to hurry before the spell is completed. Abigail will fall into eternal slumber if we don't."

Abigail winced as flowers started to bloom across her chest. _'I have to stay awake.'_

"Surrender little fairy." Ambrosia said. "Just give in and fall into slumber."

"Abigail!" Colton called out, running over to her. "Hold on. I'll get you free."

Ambrosia glared as thorns formed around Colton. "Do not interfere."

Colton winced as he started to bleed. "I'm sorry Abigail."

"Shadow Slash!" Rave called out, freeing Colton from the thorns. "Free Abigail. I'll keep Ambrosia busy."

Ambrosia laughed, focusing her attention on Rave. "You have no idea who you're messing with. Paralyzing Rose!"

Rave winced as his body was paralyzed. "I can't move."

"That's the point little boy." Ambrosia said. "Your entire body is paralyzed."

Colton stood beside Abigail, trying to figure out how to free her. "I'll get you free alright."

Abigail smiled and started to close her eyes. "It's too late Colton. I can't stay awake any longer."

"Don't fall asleep." Colton said, holding her hand. "You have to stay strong and keep fighting. I don't want to lose you."

Ambrosia smirked as vines wrapped around Colton. "You can't save her. I'll just take the life energy from all of you."

"I love you Colton." Abigail said.

Colton winced, keeping his gaze on Abigail. "I love you too. We're going to get out of this."

"I want to show people Colton." Abigail said.

"What are you talking about?" Colton asked.

"I want to show people my garden." Abigail said. "The people of Natora would make sure that it's protected. I just know that they will. Ever since I found this place, I was afraid that people would destroy it if they knew of its existence. I realize now that it won't be ruined. Everyone should get to see this place." At that moment, a brooch and bag appeared.

Colton smiled and nodded. "Yeah. And you managed to earn your Charmix." He winced and summoned his javelin. "I have an idea. Light Javelin Burst!"

Ambrosia cried out in pain and covered her eyes. "What are you doing?!"

The plants surrounding Colton and Abigail disappeared, setting them free. Abigail smiled and transformed as the crown faded away. "I'll take it from here Colton. You can rest now."

Colton nodded and joined Rave. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Rave said. "Should we do anything?"

Colton shook his head and smiled. "Abigail has got this."

"I hope you're right." Rave said. "We can always jump in if things become too much for her to handle."

Ambrosia glared and prepared an attack. "You managed to escape my spell. I'm impressed, but you won't be able to defeat me. Rain of Thorns!"

"Wall of Thorns!" Abigail called out, blocking the attack. "I won't allow you to harm these beautiful plants. Floral Wreath!"

Ambrosia growled as she was bond by a wreath of flowers. "Release me."

"Not a chance." Abigail said. "Rose Pheromone!"

Ambrosia winced as she fell asleep. _'Curse you fairy.'_

"A monster like you shouldn't exist." Abigail said. "Floral Cage!"

Colton smiled and walked over beside Abigail. "Let me finish this. Purification!"

Ambrosia faded away, becoming one of the branches of the oak tree. _'Thank you for setting me free.'_

 _'You're welcome friend.'_ Abigail thought. "Ambrosia was just a branch from this oak tree. Rangda turned her into that dryad demon. She's free now."

"She's not the only one." Colton said.

Abigail smiled and nodded. "I can see that. Are we friends now Rave?"

"You want to be friends with me." Rave said. "Even after everything I've done. I doubt your friends would forgive me. And I don't even want to know what my brother will do."

Colton smiled and placed a hand on Rave's shoulder. "They will forgive you. We should head back now."

 **Shadow Lair**

"The fairy managed to defeat Ambrosia." Rangda said. "Even the curse upon Rave has been broken. Things are starting to get more interesting. I just have to get rid of Mythia."

"What are you thinking?" Arric asked.

Rangda smirked as a black crystal appeared in her hand. "We'll lure her out and capture her in this crystal. She won't be helping anyone from inside this."

"A perfect plan as always." Arric said. "How do you plan on luring her out?"

Rangda chuckled and scratched Arric's head. "Asher. We'll use him as bait. Mythia will do anything for her precious son. Once she's gone, I'll increase my hold over the boy."

 **Alfea**

"It's nice to be back here." Colton said.

Abigail nodded, walking through the gate with Colton and Rave. "Everyone has been gathering here. Hopefully, we're closer to freeing Rachel."

Rave kept his gaze on the ground, following behind Colton and Abigail. "Should I really be here?"

"Of course." Colton said. "We are friends after all."

Rave looked down and gripped his arm. "I'm not so sure about this. You two may have forgiven me, but that doesn't mean that everyone else will."

"Everything will be fine." Abigail said smiling. "They will forgive you. Try not cheer up alright."

Rave nodded and looked up at the school. _'Can I really fit in with all of them?'_

"You can do this." Colton said.

Rave sighed and smiled a little. "I hope you're right."

"Rave." Zaven said, walking up to him. "You're back."

Rave looked at Zaven, then looked down a little. "Dad." He then hugged him and laid his head on Zaven's chest. "I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

Zaven smiled and held Rave close. "Of course. You're my son and nothing will change that. I'm just glad to have you back. If I had shown you the same encouragement I showed Alex, this wouldn't have happened."

"The curse would have taken me over eventually." Rave said. "I just want to be with everyone. Where's Alex?"

Abigail smiled and looked to Colton. "He's definitely where he belongs." She then turned to Rave. "Alex went with Ulrik to Aurora. They went looking for ice crystals."

"Ice crystals!" Zaven called out, completely worried.

"Is something wrong dad?" Rave asked.

"The ice crystals themselves are harmless." Zaven said. "What worries me is the area they are located in. Only one person has come back from there alive. The caverns are not meant to be taken lightly."

Rave clenched his fists and punched a nearby tree. "Alex would have known that. Why the hell would he go there?"

"He's not alone." Colton said. "They can take care of themselves."

Zaven sighed and shook his head. "That's not the problem. The caverns are freezing cold. They could literally freeze in seconds."

"I'm going after them." Rave said.

"Aren't you listening?" Zaven asked. "It's too dangerous."

"He's my brother." Rave said. "I can't just stand here and doing nothing to help him."

Zaven sighed and nodded. "I understand that. The cold isn't the only thing you have to worry about. If the cold doesn't kill them, the demon that guards the crystals will. I just can't lose both my sons."

"That won't happen." Rave said. "I'll make sure we both come back alive. Besides, I would go no matter what."

Zaven nodded and hugged Rave once more. "Just be careful."

Without hesitation, Rave took off through a portal to Aurora. _'I hope that I can get there in time.'_

 **Aurora**

"Where do we start our search?" Ulrik asked.

"The ice crystals are located in the ice caverns." Alex said. "And I suggest that you wear something warm. The ice caverns are dangerously cold. If we don't keep warm, the cold will kill us."

"How are we supposed to avoid that?" Ulrik asked. "We can't go with what we have on."

"We'll stop by my old house." Alex said. "I have some clothes that will help. We're about the same size." He then led the way to his house. "I can't believe that I'm back here. It's been a while since I last saw home."

Ulrik followed Alex to his house and looked down a little. _'At least he has a home to return to.'_

"Is something wrong Ulrik?" Alex asked.

"It's nothing." Ulrik said. "Your home looks nice."

Alex sighed a little and walked inside. "This shouldn't take long. We'll just grab what we need and move on." After a few minutes, both of them had managed to change into clothes more suited for the caverns. "Let's get going."

Ulrik nodded and followed Alex to the caverns. _'I can't tell him about home just yet.'_

"This is the place. Watch your step. These masks will help us communicate." Alex said. "And keep an eye out."

Ulrik followed Alex into the caverns, feeling a bit of the chill. "It's so cold. I can't imagine how it would feel without these clothes."

"The gear has a special spell surrounding it." Alex said. "It's meant to keep the user inside safe from the intense cold."

"How far do we have to go?" Ulrik asked.

"The ice crystals are located in the center." Alex said. "If we move quickly, we can get there in no time."

 **Shadow Lair**

"They're in the ice caverns." Rangda said.

Neva smirked, leaning up against a pillar. "I could easily take them out."

"That won't be necessary." Rangda said, showing an image of the ice wyvern. "The wyvern guards the ice crystals. Only one person has ever gotten past it. And these two have no idea how to stop him."

Krista smiled and joined Neva. "Let me guess. It's one of your creations."

"You got that right dear." Rangda said. "Aren't you two supposed to be capturing Daniel?"

Neva laughed and crossed her arms. "We're not stupid enough to attack him at Alfea. We would be at a high disadvantage. Some of those fairies can still fight."

"It would be better to wait until he's alone." Krista said. "Away from that wretched school."

Rangda smiled and nodded. "You are absolutely right. I'm certain that the two of you can draw him out into the open. And I know just how to do that."

"What are you planning?" Neva asked.

"We'll catch two birds with one stone." Rangda said. "Use Asher to draw him out. We'll capture Daniel and Mythia at the same time." She smirked as Neva and Krista began to glow a bright red. "I've given you a power boost. You'll have the same powers, but they will be even stronger than before."

Neva smirked and disappeared into ice. _'This is going to be fun.'_

"We won't be long." Krista said, disappearing into shadows. _'Time to take down fairy boy.'_

 **Alfea**

 _'Rachel.'_ Zane thought, leaning up against a tree. _'If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess. You would still be here.'_

Daniel watched Zane from his balcony and sighed a little. _'Zane.'_

"Is something on your mind Daniel?" Pheres asked.

"Dad." Daniel said. "I'm just worried about Zane. No matter what anyone tries, he still brings himself down. I don't know what to do."

Pheres nodded and glanced down at Zane. "He's had it rough. Losing someone you love isn't easy. It tears at your every being. It's almost as if a piece of you is missing. You blame yourself, even if it wasn't your fault."

"Is that how you felt when mom died?" Daniel asked.

"Yes." Pheres said. "No one wants to go through that. It's a hard thing to move on from. Everything will work out in time."

Daniel looked down and sighed a little. "I hope you're right."

Neva appeared in the shadows and smirked, creating a ice clone of Asher. "We'll use the clone to get his attention."

Krista smiled and added her shadow magic to the clone. "Now it looks like the real deal. We just have to make sure fairy boy sees it." They both hid in the shadows and watched the clone move into position.

"Asher." Daniel said, turning his attention the clone. "What's he doing here?"

Pheres looked at the clone and shook his head. "Something doesn't feel right Daniel."

Daniel watched the clone before taking off after it. "Asher wait."

"Why didn't he listen to me?" Pheres asked.

 **Lake Roccaluce**

Daniel followed the clone to the lake and stopped a few feet from the waters edge. "Enough of this Asher. Why are you here?"

The clone turned around and smirked. "Stupid fairy."

"Talk to me Asher." Daniel said. "What's going on?"

"Ice Prison!" Neva walked out of the shadows and smirked. "Didn't you hear him? Stupid fairy. I can't believe you fell for my trap."

"I don't expect anything less from a fairy." Krista said. "Shadow Bind!"

Daniel winced as he was brought to his knees. "Then that's not the real Asher."

"You should feel honored." Neva said. "You are the shining star of this story. Now freeze."

Daniel glared as he was frozen in ice. _'How could I fall for something like that?'_

"And now to use this clone to draw out Mythia." Krista said.

Pheres could only watch as Neva and Krista disappeared with Daniel. _'Daniel. If I wasn't stuck in limbo, I could help him.'_

 **Aurora**

"We're almost there." Alex said.

Ulrik nodded and looked around the area. "Something's not right Alex. It's far too quiet in here."

At that moment, a strange roar could be heard. "It must be time for lunch. I don't often have a meal that so willingly enters my domain. You two must be the stupid ones. Have you come for my crystals?"

"Who said that?" Alex asked, looking around. "I don't see anyone."

"Watch out!" Ulrik said, pushing Alex out of the way of a spiked tail that had hit the wall behind them. "There's no turning back now. It's a wyvern."

"Where is it?" Alex asked.

"Right here little boy." The wyvern flew up into the air and faced the boys. "I am Kadric. And you are my dinner."

"That's not going to happen." Alex said. "Frost Arrow!"

Ulrik kept his gaze on Kadric, preparing an attack. "Terra Dust!"

Kadric growled and blew the attacks away with his wings. "You're not strong enough to defeat me."

"I'm not finished yet." Alex said, readying another arrow. "Frost Arrow! Blizzard!"

Kadric laughed before wiping out the blizzard with his fire breath. "I will tear you to shreds." He smirked and pinned Alex against the cavern wall with his claws.

"Paralysis!"

Alex winced, struggling to break free. "I can feel the cold." He shivered a little, taking notice to the holes in his gear. "Get out of here Ulrik. If you stay, you could freeze as well."

"I'm not going to just leave you here." Ulrik said.

"Shadow Dragon Strike!" At that moment, a dark dragon slammed into Kadric's claws and forced him to release Alex.

Kadric roared in pain and turned towards the source of the attack. "It doesn't matter what you do. Your little spells don't work on me."

"Not from what I've seen." Rave said.

Alex winced a little and turned towards Rave. "Rave."

 _'What is he doing here?'_ Ulrik thought.

"Release him now demon." Rave said.

Kadric laughed as his claws dug into Alex's back. "You can't stop me. Never mess with a wyvern during its meal. Even if you did defeat me, you wouldn't have time to get him out of here before he dies." He then smirked, dropping Alex to the ground and watching as the specialist started to freeze solid.

"Get out of here." Alex said. "It's too late for me."

Without hesitation, Ulrik moved over to Alex's side. "Don't you dare say that. You're not going to die."

Rave glared and readied another attack. "You'll pay for that. Shadow Dragon Blast!"

Kadric roared and used his tail to slam Rave against the wall. "I've got you now boy."

Rave smirked and chuckled a little. "That's where you're wrong. I'm the one that has you. I wanted you to catch me." He smiled a little and stabbed Kadric with his blades. "Shadow Trap!"

Kadric cried out in pain and released Rave before falling to the bottom of the cave.

"Hold on Alex." Ulrik said, picking him up.

Rave put away his blades, looking over to Alex and Ulrik. "Get him out of here. I'll get the crystals." Without waiting for a response, he walked deeper into the gave and collected a few crystals. _'This should be enough.'_

"Time to get out of here buddy." Ulrik said, stepping through a portal with Alex.

Rave disappeared into shadows, heading back to Alfea. _'I just hope that I was able to get to them in time. Why didn't Alex freeze instantly?'_

 **Alfea**

"It's...s-so cold..." Alex said, as Ulrik stepped through the portal with him.

 _'I just hope that I got him here in time.'_ Ulrik thought. _'Surely someone here would know what to do. Hold on a little bit longer Alex.'_

"Alex?!" Zaven called out, running up to them. "Get some help. I'll stay with him."

Rave appeared out of shadows, walking over to Zaven and Alex. "Don't tell me that I was too late."

"Don't worry Rave." Zaven said. "Alex will be just fine. He will feel a lot better once he's out of the ice."

Rave looked down and gripped his arm a little. _'If I had gotten there faster, Alex never would have been frozen.'_

"I'm here." Carmen said, walking over to Alex. "You should really be more careful."

Ulrik looked to Rave and placed a and on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. Things could have gone a lot of worse. You saved us."

"This won't hurt a bit Alex." Carmen said, using her magic to melt the ice around Alex. "Get some rest alright."

Alex nodded and drifted off to sleep. _'It's nice to know that Rave is on our side now.'_

"I just don't get it." Rave said.

"What is it Rave?" Ulrik asked.

"Alex should have instantly frozen when his suit was ripped." Rave said. "And yet he didn't. The temperatures in that cave and freezing cold. How is it possible that he didn't become a popsicle?"

Ulrik crossed his arms and sighed a little. "I'm not sure. There's a lot more going on than we realize."

"Your mother." Zaven said. "When she gave a part of her magic to Alex, it gave him the ability to withstand freezing temperatures. She was able to do the same thing. Although, I highly doubt he knew that. He just recently found out about having part of her magic."

Rave nodded and smiled a little. "I'm just glad that he's alright. And I managed to get the crystals."

"That leaves just one more thing to get." Carmen said. "The rune stones. We may never find any."

Catarina walked up to the four of them, smiling a little. "We'll manage. The least we can do is try to find the runes. Without them, we may never free Rachel."

"There's just one thing I would like to know." Rave said. "Why did mother give her magic to Alex and not me?"

Zaven sighed and shook his head a little. "Don't think for a second that it was because she didn't trust you or that she was picking favorites. Her magic wouldn't work for just anyone. It was almost as if it had the ability to choose its user. Perhaps it was because of Alex's connection with the frost bow."

"Why would his bow have anything to do with it?" Catarina asked.

"The weapons your specialist friends wield are different from normal ones." Zaven said. "They are special weapons from their respective realms. Only those the weapons deem worthy can wield them. That connection is also why they are able to be summoned at will."

Catarina nodded and sighed a little. "Let's not focus too much on it. Right now, we have to figure out how to get Revian rune stones."

 **Shadow Lair**

"They're looking for Revian rune stones." Arric said.

Rangda smirked and chuckled a little. "Is that so? They will never find the rune stones. With Revia destroyed, they are impossible to find."

"Even you know that's not true." Arric said.

Rangda sighed a little and smiled. "Yes. There is still one place that they can be found. I'll just send Amicia to destroy every single one of them."

"Amicia." Arric said. "She only knows destruction. Her actions will not go unnoticed."

Rangda laughed as a dark red aura surrounded her. "That's the idea. She will draw in all those fairies and wipe them all out at once."


	28. Demon of Destruction

_~~~~ Previously ~~~~_

 _Daniel managed to escape his imprisonment thanks to his mother. Abigail and Colton arrived in Natora in search of the sugar lotus. During their stay there, Abigail was tricked by a dryad and almost had her life energy completely stolen. At the same time, Colton was attacked by Rave. Thanks to Colton's efforts, the darkness poisoning Rave's mind was broken. After admitting that she wanted people to see her secret garden, Abigail was able to earn her Charmix and defeat Ambrosia. Alex and Ulrik made it to Aurora, only to be attacked by the wyvern that guards the ice crystals. Rave arrived just in time and defeated the wyvern, saving Alex from being frozen solid. Daniel was tricked by Neva and Krista, resulting in his capture once more. ~~~~_

 **Alfea**

Pheres paced around Daniel's room, trying to figure out how to save him. _'I should have tried harder. If I had, Daniel wouldn't have gotten himself captured again. And it doesn't appear as if anyone has noticed that he's missing yet. I can't exactly inform anyone in this state either. Wait a minute. Daniel did mention that he was friends with a aura fairy. Maybe I can get through to her. I have to try.'_ Without hesitation, he took off in search of Catarina.

"It's been three hours and we still haven't figured out where to find the rune stones." Carmen said, sulking a little.

Catarina continued to look through the book she had, releasing a small sigh. "Even I'm not getting anywhere and this is what I do best. I'm afraid that none of these books have what we need. There is nothing that even hints at where to find any. I can't take much more of this."

"Are you sick or something?" Carmen asked, completely shocked. "I never thought that you would get tired of doing research."

"It's not like that." Catarina said. "The library just doesn't have what we need."

Rosella looked down a little and gripped her arm. "I was afraid of that."

"There has to be some clue as to how we find them." Felicity said. "Rachel is counting on us."

Abigail looked out a nearby window and thought for a second. "Rosella. Is it possible that you could use your magic to sense them? If you combine the magic in your horn with Catarina's aura sensing, you might be able to narrow down the search."

"It wouldn't work." Rafe said. "If we were looking for a specific person, it would work perfectly. The problem is that we're not looking for anyone. We're trying to find something that may no longer exist."

Carmen groaned and slumped across the table. "They have to exist somewhere. And where are the guys? The only one that's actually around is Zane."

"They went back to Red Fountain to get in some extra training." Catarina said. "We'll see them later alright."

Carmen continued to groan, starting to fall asleep. "Wake me up when they do get back." Within seconds, she had drifted off into a deep sleep.

"Carmen has no sense of class." Felicity said. "Whatever happened to Ulrik and Draegan?"

Catarina was about to answer when she felt an unknown presence in the room. _'Who's there?'_

 _'You must be Catarina.'_

 _'That's right.'_ Catarina thought. _'Who are you?'_

 _'Forgive me. My name is Pheres. I'm Daniel's father.'_

A look of shock came over Catarina's face. _'How is this possible?'_

"Is something wrong Cat?" Rosella asked.

 _'It's a long story.'_ Pheres said. _'Listen to me. Daniel is in danger. I need your help.'_

"Hold on Rosella." Catarina said. _'What's happened to him?'_

'He's been captured by Rangda.' Pheres said. 'She intends to start a powerful ritual. You must hurry.'

'How could we possibly take on that witch?' Catarina asked. 'As of right now, we are down two people.'

"Something's wrong." Rosella said.

 _'You're trying to find Revian rune stones.'_ Pheres said. _'I know where you can find some. Just know that these stones are the only ones left in the entire dimension. And I'm sure that Rangda knows where to find them.'_

"I'll explain everything." Catarina said. "Rangda has Daniel and we need to save him."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Abigail asked.

"We can't do anything until we save Rachel." Felicity said. "How do you know this?"

Catarina sighed and nodded. "I can easily pick up on any aura nearby. The rest of you can't sense it, but Daniel's father is here with us. He knows where to find the rune stones." _'Where are they? We have to get there before that witch destroys them.'_

 _'Tempesta.'_ Pheres said. _'You'll need to go into the eye of the storm.'_

"It's looks like we're going to Tempesta." Catarina said. "We have to go into the eye of the storm."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Carmen asked.

"I'm not sure." Catarina said. "We need someone that knows Tempesta."

Carmen sighed and sulked a little. "And here we are with nothing. Again."

"Zane." Felicity said. "He's from Tempesta. Maybe he knows."

Carmen perked up as a big grin came across her face. "Let's get the guys and get out of here. We're wasting time sitting around here."

 **Red Fountain**

"Zane." Alex said. "We need you."

Zane kept his gaze on the floor and grasped his arm. "No you don't. I'll just mess things up for everyone."

"Zane." Gale said. "The rune stones are the last thing needed to help Rachel. You're the only one that knows Tempesta."

Zane fisted his hands a little and walked outside. 'The rune stones would be on Tempesta. Everything just seems to come back and bite me.'

"You're pathetic." Lyon said, walking up behind Zane.

"Should we do something?" Brandon asked.

"No." Helia said. "This might be exactly what Zane needs."

Zane glanced up at Lyon and glared a little. "Why don't you go bother someone else? I don't want to listen to your crap."

"It's not like you're going to make me do anything." Lyon said. "How much longer do you intend to whine? You certainly don't care about your little fairy. Otherwise you would do everything you could to save her."

Zane looked down and grasped his arm. "It's not like that. I do care about Rachel."

"Then do what is necessary to save her." Lyon said. "Or be alone." With that, he walked off out of sight.

 _'Thank you Lyon.'_ Zane thought, smiling a little.

"Hey Zane." Rexx said, running up to him.

Zane looked up at Rexx and smiled a little more. "We should get going now."

"Yeah." Rexx said. "The girls are already here. Apparently Carmen ran the entire way."

"What's the plan?" Gale asked.

"We head to the eye of the storm." Alex said.

Zane walked up to the others and shook his head. "It's not that simple. None of our ships will make it through the storm. We would have to make it through hurricane force winds, unnatural lightning, and volcanic geysers."

"Volcanic." Carmen said as her face lit up with happiness. "You can leave that to me. A little volcanic activity never hurt me."

Zane sighed and shook his head once more. "We still have the wind and lightning to worry about."

"I should be able to handle the wind." Abigail said.

Colton smiled and pulled Abigail close. "You'll do fine. And that leaves the lightning."

Carmen looked over at Rosella as a sly grin came over her face. "We could always use Rosella's horn as a lightning rod."

"That is definitely not what it's meant for." Rosella said. _'Carmen scares me from time to time.'_

 _'The runes will be located at the base of the eye.'_ Pheres said.

Catarina nodded, before getting lost in her thoughts. _'How are we supposed to deal with the lightning storms? If we don't figure this out, we'll be destroyed and that witch would have won.'_

 _'Not if you find the source of the storm.'_ Pheres said. _'Stop the source and you'll stop the storms. I won't be able to help you any further. Right now, I need to be my Daniel's side. Don't worry. You'll find a way to save your friend.'_

"Zane." Catarina said. "Do you know what causes the storm?" _'We'll save everyone. Be careful.'_

Zane shook his head and turned his attention to Catarina. "No one does. The storm has always been there."

"We'll figure it out." Felicity said.

Catarina nodded and released a small sigh. "It's not just about saving Rachel anymore. Daniel, the Winx, everyone is depending on us. We have to stop Rangda."

"No matter what happens, we stick together." Alex said. "Let's go."

 **Shadow Lair**

Rangda laughed as she watched them through her orb. "They are going after the rune stones. Amicia will tear them to shreds. Time to prepare for the ritual." She smirked as she glanced over at the unconscious Daniel.

 _'Daniel.'_ Asher thought. _'What have I done?'_

Krista smirked, watching Asher from the shadows. _'Too easy.'_ Without hesitation, she threw her boomerangs and knocked him unconscious.

"Asher has been locked away." Neva said.

Rangda smirked and nodded. "Good. It's time to make sure Mythia doesn't interfere again. Let's convince her to come out and play."

Krista walked up next to Neva and smiled a little. "Our little clone will take care of her."

Deep within the dungeons, the clone laid on the cold stone floor. "Mother. Please. Help me."

"Asher." Mythia said, kneeling down beside him. "What have they done to you?"

The clone looked up at Mythia and winced a little. "It hurts so much."

Rangda watched from the shadows and smirked, holding out one of her special gems. 'You're mine Mythia.'

"What's going on?" Mythia asked as she was being absorbed into the crystal.

The clone smirked and started to chuckle. "Foolish fairy." He then disappeared without a trace.

"You can't escape me Mythia." Rangda said, chuckling a little. "And you couldn't even see past our little ruse. Thanks to you, I have both of your precious sons."

Mythia cried out in pain and glared at Rangda. "Mark my words. You will be defeated witch."

"Mythia?!" Pheres called out, running over to her.

Rangda smirked, turning her attention on Pheres. "The whole family is here. How wonderful. Now my collection is complete." She laughed as the crystal started to absorb Pheres as well.

"The Scoutix will stop you." Pheres said, wincing a little.

Rangda smiled as her crystal continued to absorb them. "Those little fairies and heroes will be destroyed before they can reach the rune stones. My demons will run amok all over the magic dimension." She smirked as both Mythia and Pheres were completely absorbed.

 _'What happened?'_ Daniel thought. _'That's right. I remember. Captured again. I hope everyone else is having better luck.'_

"The ritual won't even be finished until sunset." Arric said.

Rangda looked to Arric and nodded. "Tell me something I don't know Arric. Sunset will be here in exactly one hour. If those fairies do manage to survive, it will be too late."

 **Tempesta**

"Where exactly is this storm?" Gale asked.

"It's located right above the desert." Zane said.

Carmen watched out the window, taking in every detail. "Everything looks so peaceful."

"Tempesta isn't made of storms." Zane said. "Most of it is quite beautiful and sunny."

"Why is it called Tempesta?" Alex asked.

"The storm." Zane said, pointing towards the desert. "Centuries ago, the storm was being worshiped. The ancients believed that it was caused by the gods. Nowadays, the cause behind the storm has long been forgotten. In other words, no one has figured it out."

Catarina looked to storm and released a small sigh. "This is it. There's no turning back now. We can do this."

"Let's combine our magic." Rosella said. "A convergence might be strong enough to break through the storm. The least we can do is try."

Catarina nodded and walked over to the door. "We'll do a convergence and figure things out from there. We've got to stick together."

"We'll create an opening for the ship to get through." Felicity said. "You guys head straight for the eye. We'll meet you there."

Lyon sighed a little and pulled Felicity close. "Be careful. Fifteen minutes. You meet us in fifteen minutes or don't even bother coming at all."

"You be careful." Felicity said, smiling a little.

 _'Why does Lyon have to be so harsh?'_ Colton asked himself.

"Show that storm what you're made of." Rexx said.

Carmen smiled and jumped up a little. "We'll take care of it in no time."

"We don't have time to waste." Rosella said.

The girls nodded and transformed. "Magic Scoutix!" Without hesitation, they all flew out into the storm.

"Good luck." Alex said, watching them take off.

The girls flew up to the edge of the storm and nodded. "Convergence!" Their spells had struck the storm, only to fade into nothing.

"It didn't work." Abigail said.

Catarina released a small sigh and shook her head. "We're not a full team. It's one thing to stop a small disaster, but this is on a whole other level. Without Rachel and Daniel, we're just not strong enough."

"Lava Shield!" Carmen quickly put up her shield as a geyser of lava shot up towards the girls. "Keep going girls. Let me take care of these geysers. This is my specialty after all."

Rosella nodded and flew off with the others. _'You can do this Carmen.'_ "Up next is the wind."

"Are you sure you can handle this Abigail?" Catarina asked.

"I have to try." Abigail said.

Felicity smiled and looked ahead. "You won't be alone Abigail. I'll lend you a hand."

"That leaves us Cat." Rosella said.

Catarina nodded and they flew off further into the storm. "And now the most dangerous part of the storm."

"The lightning storms." Rosella said. "We need to stay alert." Just as she spoke, Catarina was struck with a bolt of lightning. "Catarina?!"

Catarina nodded before she was struck by lightning, knocking her unconscious. _'Come on Catarina. Wake up.'_

"I'm going out there." Gale said. Before anyone could say anything, he took off on his wind rider and caught Catarina. "I got you."

Alex sighed and shook his head a little. "I've never seen Gale act so careless."

"Any one of us would have done the same." Zane said.

Alex kept his gaze on the storm, trying to figure out a way to get through it. "Without a hole, I won't be able to get the Owl through."

"Let me fly." Lyon said.

"What makes you so sure you can?" Alex asked.

"I've flown in storms before." Lyon said. "Trust me."

Alex sighed and let Lyon take over flying. "Just be careful."

"Gale." Rosella said. "Get Catarina out of here. She won't be able to do anything until she wakes up."

Gale nodded and went back to the ship with Catarina. _'Please wake up soon Catarina.'_

Lyon managed to get the ship through the storm, heading straight into the eye. "We're here."

"Set the ship down at the base." Alex said.

'Hold on a little bit longer Rachel.' Zane thought as the ship landed.

Carmen laughed as another lava geyser shot up in front of her. "This is fun. I feel stronger than ever." Without hesitation, she used her magic to make the geysers dormant. Once she was finished, she flew off to join Rosella. "You look like you could use a hand."

Rosella nodded, quickly dodging a lightning bolt. "We have to figure out a way to stop this."

"It's time for a convergence." Carmen said as her charmix items appeared.

Rosella smiled as her charmix items appeared. "Light Arrow Shower!"

Carmen smirked a little and readied her spell. "Magma Orb!"

"Convergence!" The attack struck the lightning storm, causing it to fade away.

"Oh yeah!" Carmen called out. "Take that lightning!"

Rosella laughed as they flew towards the eye. "We can't let our guard down yet. That was far too easy."

"It looks like it's just us now Abigail." Felicity said.

Abigail nodded as she was blown back a little by the wind. "Let's make this quick."

"Right." Felicity said. "Convergence."

Abigail smiled as her charmix items appeared along with Felicity's. "Floral Wreath!"

"Light Ray!" Felicity called out.

"Convergence!" Within seconds, the wind calmed down.

"I don't like this." Abigail said. "This is too easy."

Felicity nodded and looked to the eye. "Yes. Let's join the others." Without hesitation, the two of them flew down towards the eye.

Lyon landed the ship and they all exited, aside from Gale and Catarina. "I don't see anything. It's a wasteland."

"The rune stones are supposed to be at the base of the eye." Alex said.

Rexx looked around and sighed. "Maybe they were blown away by the storm."

"No." Zane said. "The stones are here. They have to be."

Lyon fisted his hands a little and walked over to Zane. "What if their not? What if we we're too late?"

"I won't believe that." Zane said. "I will save Rachel. Even if it's the last thing I do. They have to be here somewhere."

Before anyone could say another word, a wall of lightning and lava formed around the specialists. "Looking for these." A demonic cat girl skipped around Zane, holding up a bag full of the rune stones.

"You're the source of this storm." Zane said, keeping his eye on the cat girl. "Hand the runes over."

The cat girl giggled as her tail flicked Zane in the face. "If you want them that badly, you'll have to take them from me."

"That won't be too difficult." Lyon said, summoning his nunchuks.

The girl glanced over at Lyon as his arms and legs were covered with rock. "You're not going to interfere. And don't count on your little fairies saving you. They'll be dead before they could even get to you."

"You're the source of this storm." Lyon said, struggling to get free.

"Frost Arrow!"

The girl smirked and dodged the attack. "If it isn't a walking snowman. Is that all you got frosty boy? And the name is Amicia. Mrroew."

"Light Javelin Burst!"

Amicia chuckled and jumped out of the way, landing on all fours. "You're such a pain." She smirked as lightning struck Colton.

Colton cried out in pain and fell to the ground. 'What is up with this girl?'

"You still have us to worry about demon." Rexx said. "Inferno Chakram!"

Amicia winced and hissed at Rexx. "You'll pay for that. Earthquake!"

Rexx struggled to stand up as he found himself lying at the bottom of a hole. "I'm alright. Just a broken ankle."

"Frost Arrow Storm!"

Amicia purred and dodged the arrows. "Pathetic. I'll show you a real storm. Cyclone!"

Alex struggled to keep his footing before flying back against the ground. "She's too powerful."

"Stay right now little boy." Amicia said as vines wrapped around Alex. She then turned to Zane and smiled. "And now to deal with you. Traitor."

Zane glared and summoned his whip. "I'm no traitor. You're just a fool."

"I'm loyal to my mistress." Amicia said, clawing Zane's face. "And I'm dragging you back to her. You'll be broken so much, you won't dare leave her side again."

Zane winced and held his face. "I'm not going back Amicia. I will get those runes."

Amicia laughed and shook the bag of runes. "You'll have to defeat me first. Once I'm finished with you, these runes are history. Lightning Storm!"

Zane cried out in pain and fell to his knees. _'If this keeps up. I won't last long.'_

"Why can't we get through?" Felicity asked.

"It's this barrier." Rosella said. "Someone is trying to keep us out."

Abigail looked down a little and grasped her arm. "There has to be a way for us to get through."

"We need to figure it out fast." Carmen said. "They guys aren't doing too good. We have to get in there and help them."

Amicia laughed and walked up to Zane, kneeling in front of him. "Stop resisting. You can't save that worthless girl." She then lifted his head up and kissed him. "We'd be purrfect together."

"That's never going to happen." Zane said. "Rachel is the one I love and I'll do whatever it takes to save her."

Amicia growled and clawed his face once more. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you. You will be mine."

"I can handle anything you throw at me." Zane said, glaring even more. _'That's a lie. I can't give in yet. Rachel. I need you right now. If only you were here.'_

Amicia smiled and prepared another lightning strike. "I highly doubt that. Lighting Strike!"

As the lightning was about to hit Zane, a crystal shield appeared around him. _'Rachel.'_

"What's going on?!" Amicia called out.

"It's time for a convergence girls." Rosella said, as the girls nodded and readied their spells.

"Light Arrow Shower!"

"Magma Orb!"

"Floral Wreath!"

"Light Ray!"

"Convergence!" The combined spells struck the barrier, doing it's best to break through.

"Don't give up." Carmen said.

Catarina slowly opened her eyes and looked around. "Gale. What happened?"

"You got hurt." Gale said smiling. "I'm glad you're alright."

Catarina nodded and stood up. "I have to go help the others."

"Alright." Gale said. "Just take it easy."

Without hesitation, Catarina took off out of the ship and flew up to the barrier. "Chakra Blast!" Within seconds, the barrier shattered and allowed the others to fly inside.

"Catarina." Rosella said. "It's nice to see you're alright."

"What's going on down there?" Felicity asked, looking down towards Zane and Amicia.

"That shield." Carmen said. "It's Rachel. Her magic is protecting Zane."

"How is that possible?" Abigail asked.

"I'm not sure." Catarina said.

Amicia growled, clawing at the shield. "Break already you stupid shield."

"Those claws are not going to cut through crystal." Zane said, smirking a little. "The love between Rachel and I is stronger than you'll ever be."

"Light Arrow Shower!" The arrows quickly freed the guys as the girls landed.

"What should we do?" Carmen asked.

"Nothing." Rexx said.

Lyon smirked and walked over to Rexx and the girls. "Zane can handle the cat."

"Let's just sit back and watch." Alex said.

Gale joined the others, keeping his gaze on Zane. "The cat has the rune stones."

"Relax." Catarina said. "Zane isn't facing this feline alone."

"Will someone please just tell me how Rachel is helping him?" Carmen asked.

"He got through to her." Catarina said. "I'm not sure how, but he did. She must have sensed that he needed help. Or rather, her magic sensed it. They truly have a strong connection."

Amicia continued her attempts at breaking through the shield. "I can still destroy the runes. You'll never see her again."

"You're wrong." Zane said. "Even without the runes, I'll find a way to save her. I don't care what it takes."

Amicia laughed and jumped up into the air. "You're all too late." Without hesitation, she burned the bag and the runes with it. "You'll never stop the ritual. At sunset, my mistress will become unstoppable."

"Let's take this feline down." Carmen said. "Lava Beam!"

"Unicorn Rush!"

"Aura Blast!"

"Orb of Light!"

"Rose Pheromone!"

Amicia cried out in pain before fading into a red mist.

"What are we supposed to do?" Rosella asked. "She destroyed the runes."

"We can still save Rachel." Zane said. "I just need time."

Catarina winced a little and nodded. "We don't have much time. You heard what that cat said. We have until sunset to save Rachel."

"You're hurting." Gale said. "What did you sense?"

Catarina sighed and smiled a little. "Rachel. I could feel her. It's like she's trying to tell me something, but I'm not sure what."

"I can get through to her." Zane said.

"How can you be sure?" Alex asked.

"You all saw what happened." Zane said. "Rachel saved me. That was definitely her magic."

Catarina nodded and looked down a little. "We have until sunset to free Rachel and stop Rangda. Zane. Are you absolutely sure you can get through to her in time?"

Zane nodded. "Definitely. I believe that she's keeping herself locked away. I'm the only one that can help her."

"It's just like when Lyon had to get through to Felicity." Colton said.

Catarina nodded. "Let's get back to Alfea."

 **Shadow Lair**

"Zane actually believes that he can get through to his precious fairy." Rangda said. "Without the runes, it's impossible. I've won."

Daniel winced a little and slowly opened his eyes, struggling to break free. _'I have to find a way to break free.'_

"You won't be getting free this time Danny boy." Rangda said. "This time, you don't have mommy and daddy here to save." She chuckled as she held up the crystal with Mythia and Pheres sealed inside. "And don't count on that brother of yours either. He's locked away."

Daniel glared, keeping his gaze on Rangda. "You won't win."

Rangda smirked and rubbed his face. "I already have. No one can stop me now. You're little friends aren't strong enough to do anything. The Winx are locked away and can do nothing."

"They'll find a way." Daniel said. "You underestimate them."

Rangda snickered and smacked him across the face. "They underestimate my abilities. You'd be dead if I didn't need you alive. Don't worry. By the time this ritual is complete, you will be." She laughed as the collected essence swirled around him. "By sunset, it will be too late. And that's only a few hours away."

Daniel cried out in pain, struggling to get free once more. 'There has to be a way to get out of this. I'm all alone. Brother.'

"Krista. Neva." Rangda said.

Krista and Neva appeared, smirking at Daniel's pain.

"Start wreaking havoc." Rangda said. "I'm sure that even you two can handle that. Start with Alfea. Ulrik, Draegan, and Rave are there. It should be quite enjoyable for you."

Without hesitation, Krista and Neva disappeared.


End file.
